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. THE COMMONITOEY 



VINCENT OP LERINS. 

A NEW TRANSLATION, 

FL^RNISHED WITH AN INTRODUCTION, FROM BP. JEBB, 

AN APPENDIX, FROM BISHOP BEVERIDGE, 

AND NOTES BY THE TRANSLATOR. 



" Venit quoque in mentem, scriptores Pontificios recentior«s, quos prspcipuo* 
legere meminissem, doctrinam Vincentii Bummopere laudare et approbare, et 
proinde recte me facturum, ai banc ipsam, antiquitatis adeo tenacem et adversa- 
riis tantopere gratam, Pontificiis Bovitatibus opponerera." G. Calixtut. 



BALTIMORE: 
JOSEPH ROBINSON. 



1847. 






Entered accordhig to Act of Congress, in the year 184?, by Joseph 
Robinson, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maryland. 



CONTENTS. 



Preface, 
Introduction, 



THE COMMONITORY OF VINCENT OF LERINS. 

Chap. I. Introduction. Occasion of the Work, . . 1 
II. Of the Proof of Doctrine: first bj' the Authority 
of the Law of God ; secondly, by the Tradi- 
tion of the Catholic Church, . . 4 

III. Of Universality, Antiquity, Consent, . . 5 

IV. Of the Proof from Universality against Dona- 

tus; from Antiquity against Arius, . 7 

V. The Testimony of St. Ambrose, . . .10 

VI. Of the Care of the Fathers for the ancient Faith 
of the Catholic Church, instanced in the Con- 
troversy on the rebapiizing of Heretics, . 13 
VII. Of the Profane Devices of Heretics; and of the 
Danger of having itching ears after new 

teachers, 17 

VITI. Of the Necessity of adhering to sound Doctrine. 

Of the Anathema of St. Paul against the 

Preachers of another Gospel, . . 20 

IX. Objections to the Anathema answered, . . 23 

X. Why very great Teachers are often permitted by 

God to introduce strange Doctrine into His 

Church, 25 

XI. Instances in Nestorius, Photinus,Apollinaris, 23 



IV CONTENTS. 

XII. The Heresies of Nestorius, Photinus, Apolli- 

naris, 32 

XIII. The Doctrine of the Catholic Church on the 

Holy Trinity, and on the Incarnation, against 
Nestorius, Apollinaris, and Photinus, • 36 

XIV. Of the Orthodox Use of the term Person, . 40 
XV. That Christ is very God, and very man; and 

that the blessed Virgin Mary is mother of 

God, . ' 43 

XVI. The orthodox and heretical Doctrines on the 
Holy Trinity, and on the Incarnation, con- 
trasted, 46 

XVII. Of very great Teachers who have introduced 

strange Doctrines. Of Origen, . . 49 

XVIII. Of Tertullian, 55 

XIX. The Errors of such Men are our Trial, . 57 

XX. The Character of a true Catholic ; and the con- 
dition of Innovators, ... 57 
XXI. The Rule of Faith, a trust committed to us to 

keep, ....... 60 

XXII. The Meaning of the Charge of the Apostle, 63 

XXIII. Of what kind of Improvement Christian Doc- 

trine is susceptible, .... 66 

XXIV. Profane Novelties to be avoided. Instances 

given, ....... 72 

XXV. The Use of Scripture by Heretics, . . 76 

XXVI. Heretics herein follow the example of the Devil, 80 
XXVII. How Catholics are to defend themselves against 

such acts, ...... 83 

XXVIII. When, in what cases, and for what reasons, ap- 
peal is to be made to the Catholic Consent of 
Ancient Fathers, . - . . 85 



CONTENTS. V 

THE SECOND COMMONITORY. 
Chap. I. Recapitulation of things said in the First Com- 

monitury, ...... 91 

II. Recapitulation from the Second Commonitory, 93 

III. Fathers whose works were cited in the Council 

of Ephesus, ..... 94 

IV. The Sentence of Cyril and the Council. The 

Presumption of Nestorius, . . .96 
V. The additional authorities of the Popes Xystus 

and Coelestine, ..... 99 

VI. Sum of the Grounds of adhering to Antiquity 

and rejecting Novelty, . . . .101 

The True Catholics, from Dr. Thos. Jackson, . 104 

Notes, 105 

The Catholic Faith, from Abp. Ussher, . .140 
Appendix, ........ 141 

Index, 



Archbishop Cranmer. 

I cannot but marvel, that Smythe allegeth for him Vincerdim 
Lirinensis, who, contrary to Dr. Smythe, teachelh plainly, that the 
Canon of the Bible is perfect and sufficient of itself for the truth of 
the Catholic Faith : and that the whole Church cannot make one 
article of the Faith, although it may be taken as a necessary wit- 
ness, for the receiving and establishing of the same, with these three 
conditions, that the thing which we would establish thereby, hath 
been believed in all places, ever, and of all men. Which the papis- 
tical doctrine — hath not been, — whereas the doctrine which I have 
set forth, came from Christ and His Apostles, and was of all men 
everywhere, with one consent taught and believed.— ^nmcr to 
Smythe's Preface. Remains III. 22. 

And touching my doctrine — of what kind soever it be, I protest 
that it was never my mind to write, speak, or understand any thing 
contrary to the most holy Word of God, or else against the Holy 
Catholic Church of Christ ; but purely and simply to imitate and 
teach those things only, which I had learned of the Sacred Scrip- 
ture, and of the Holy Catholic Church of Christ from the begin- 
ning, and also according to the exposition of the most holy and 
learned Fathers and martyrs of the Church.— ^j>peai at his Degra- 
dation. Remains IV. 126. 



Bishop Jewell. 

We are come, a.« near as we possibly could, to the Church of the 
Apostles, and of ihe old Catholic Bishops and Fathers : and have 
directed, according to their customs and ordinances, not only our 
doctrine, but also the Sacraments, and the foim of Common Prayer. 
— Apology. Woiks, (folio ed.) p. 614. 

These be cases, not of wit, but of faith ; not of eloquence, but of 
truth ; not invented or devised by us, but from the Apostles, and 
holy Fathers, and founders of the Church, by long succession 
brought unto us. We are not the devisers thereof, but only the 
keepers; not the masters, but the scholars. Touching the sub- 
stance of religion we believe that the ancient Catholic, learned 
Fathers believed ; we do that they did, we say that they said. And 
marvel not, in what side soever ye see them, if you see us join unto 
the same. It is our great comfort, that we see their faith and our 
faith to agree in one.— Reply to Harding. Answer to the Conclusion, 
ad fin. 



PREFACE. 



Of the author of the Commonitory little more 
is known than his name and residence. That 
he was a native of the north or west of France 
we learn from Gennadius. That he spent a 
portion of his life in secular pursuits, he says 
himself, {Comm. Prgef.) as also that before he 
wrote this treatise, he had retired from the 
world into the quiet and seclusion of a monastic 
hfe. 

The monastery of Lerins, then recently 
founded in the island of that name (now called 
St. Honorat) on the southern coast of France, 
was the place of his retreat. Its distinguished 
founder, Honoratus, afterward bishop of Aries, 
had established a discipline which very speedily 
acquired for the society gathered under his 
government a high reputation for sanctity and 
learning. The illustrious Hilary, (afterward 
successor of Honoratus in the see of Aries ;) 
Eucherius, bishop of Lyons ; Lupus of Troyes ; 
A^incent, his brother, (most likely not our Vin- 



cent, thougli identified with him by Baronius 
and others;) Antiolus, afterward bishop of we 
know not what see ; and Maximus, who suc- 
ceeded Honoratus as abbot ; were contempo- 
raries and associates in the monastic life of the 
author of the Commonitory. That he was 
esteemed worthy of their society we learn from 
his having had a share in the education of Ve- 
ranius and Salonius, the sons of Eucherius, and 
from the manner in which their indebtedness to 
his care is mentioned by their father. His dili- 
gence in study appears from his own profes- 
sion [Comm. Preef. ;) his success, from the ex- 
traordinary excellence and consequent enduring 
reputation of this only extant fruit. He shows 
himself as well acquainted with the Scriptures 
themselves as with the principle of their inter- 
pretation, and as well able to reduce the latter 
to practice, as to lay it down in theory. He 
thinks clearly, and expresses plainly and 
strongly what he has thought out. His illus- 
trations are apposite, his rules explicit, his 
cautions and suggestions apt and intelligibly 
given. Most timely in its appearance, his little 
treatise, coming forth (three years after the 
Council of Ephesus, therefore A. 434 : Comm. 



PREFACE. 



§ 29.) when Chrysostom in the East and Au- 
gustine in the West had just passed to their 
reward, may be regarded as closing up the tes- 
timony of the undivided Church to the sense of 
Scripture. Corruptions and dissensions were 
impending like an overwhelming flood, even 
while the good man, in his solitude, was incul- 
cating the practice of the old method of resist- 
ing them ; and his own death (A. 450, just 
before the assemblage of the fourth General 
Council at Chalcedon) marks out, as it were, 
the termination of the period to which the re- 
former of subsequent corruptions and protest- 
ant against subsequent usurpations, looks back 
with confidence for the evidence by which the 
novelties of Rome are to be confuted and con- 
demned. 

Those novelties cannot be maintained against 
the application of Vincent's rule. The twelve 
articles profanely added to the Nicene Symbol 
by the creed of Pius IV, however they may be 
bolstered up by a vain pretence of consent and 
universality, are utterly destitute of proof of 
antiquity. To remedy the defect, resort has 
been had, first to the supposition of a disciplina 
arcani, by which Romish tenets must have been 



held for four hundred years in studious con- 
cealment, to come out only one by one, through 
the course of the ten following centuries of dis- 
traction and decline both secular and ecclesias- 
tical; and then, that failing, more recently to 
the theory of an assumed development,hy which 
the deposit once committed to the Church may 
enlarge itself and branch forth into new doc- 
trines and practice, with progress of years and 
in the advancement of society. But these de- 
vices had been already exposed, by anticipa- 
tion, as the futile inventions of busy brains, 
seeking excuse for the inroads of " profane 
novelties" upon " hallowed antiquity," in Vin- 
cent's simple, but cogent treatise. He is alike 
severe upon the fraudulency of them who pro- 
fanely handle the memory of holy men, by pre- 
tending to rake from their ashes traces of secret 
advocacy of their own new opinions, as upon 
the impudence of those who under pretence of 
advancement of religion change it. He allows 
all that can be claimed for development of doc- 
trine by the Church, consistently with the ob- 
jective truth of revelation : but clearly marks 
the difference between such expansion and illus- 
tration of truths always admitted and well 



PREFACE. Xt 

known, and the inoculation upon the stock of 
the faith once delivered to the saints of buds of 
new foliage and fruitage. Such novelties, for 
instance, as the development of the " deifica- 
tion" of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the doc- 
trine of the Godhead of the Eternal Son, the 
true Catholic, finding that the Church in her 
first ages never knew them, is taught by our 
author to *' avoid as a viper, as a scorpion, as a 
basilisk : lest their poison be conveyed to him, 
as it may, not by contact only, but even by 
sight and by the breath." 

The assumption of the infallibility oi the pre- 
sent Church, the Roman see, either as director 
or as exponent, being its organ, is the bulwark 
of that system of mediaeval corruptions which 
derives its form and pretence to catholicity from 
the Council of Trent. No treatise in the whole 
range of ecclesiastical literature is in its entire 
scope, or within the same compass in so many 
points, so destructively antagonistic to that as- 
sumption as the Commonitory of Vincent. It 
could not have been written by a believer in 
the Romish theory. Had it been possible for 
him to conceive of the need of such a direction 
for the inquirer after Catholic verity, it would 
have been impossible for him to set about the 



task of giving it after the fashion here adopted. 
The right of private judgment is assumed as 
the basis of the treatise, the duty asserted 
throughout. How utterly unnecessary the 
rule of Vincent, and all the minuteness of his 
cautions concerning its application, had the 
Church in his time known of an infallible 
spokesman, whose voice alone could determine 
the path to be followed by those who would 
rightfully claim the name of Catholic ! Every 
mention of the see of Rome ia the Commoni- 
tory shows that the writer knew it only as the 
first among the Western Churches, its bishop 
one among many guardians of the deposite com- 
mitted to the whole priesthood, its doctrine and 
practice a part only of the testimony of univer- 
sal consent to the truth heldjrom the begin?iing, 
and therefore (not because Rome held it) cer- 
tainly known as true. 

The notes added to this translation may serve 
to call the reader's attention to some of the 
discrepancies between the Romish system and 
the views of Vincent concerning catholic truth, 
church authority, and Christian duty. For the 
best of those notes, it will be perceived, the 
translator is indebted to a predecessor in his 
work, the learned and orthodox William 



Reeves, whose well known compilation of the 
Apologies of Justin Martyr, Tertullian and 
Minucius Felix, to which his translation of the 
Commonitory of Vincent is appended, consti- 
tutes a part of the course of study recommend- 
ed by the House of Bishops of the Protestant 
Episcopal Church in the United States. Reeves' 
notes, in their original form are copious, even 
to prolixity. Such of them, therefore, as have 
been selected, have been, almost in every in- 
stance, abridged ; yet in no case to the altera- 
tion of the sense of the author. His transla- 
tion would have been reprinted, if more literal ; 
but while it is spirited, and in the main faithful 
to the original, it is free sometimes to the ex- 
tent of becoming paraphrastic. The transla- 
tion republished, with amendments, at Oxford 
in 1837, and again with additional retouchings 
in 1841, is on the other hand, literal even to 
lowness and obscurity. An attempt was made 
to improve it still further, but soon abandoned. 
Vincent, therefore, now appears, for the fourth 
time, at least,* in an entirely new English 

* The first English version was made by John Procter, a 
Papist, and pubhshed by authority ot Queen Mary, in 1554. 
The second (republished at Oxford) appeared in 1651. The 
third, by Reeves, in 1710, 



dress, the aim of his present translator having 
been to adhere as closely as possible to the 
author, while rendering him in language tolera- 
bly perspicuous and smooth. Wherever an 
allowable difference of rendering might produce 
an alteration in the sense, the original is given 
in the margin ; and resort has been had to the 
same expedient, where a peculiar word or turn 
in the Latin seemed worthy of the reader's 
notice. 

The Appendix extracted from Bishop Beve- 
ridge, has been borrowed from the Oxford edi- 
tions. It is a complete vindication of the prin- 
ciple of Vincent from such shallow, carping 
objections as Daille, and more modern advo- 
cates of the same views, have advanced 
against it. 

The Introduction, extracted from Bishop 
Jebb, sufficiently explains the grounds on 
which the present publication is undertaken, 
by showing the coincidence of the system of 
Vincent with the distinctive principle of the 
Church in England and this country, private 

JUDGMENT, TAUGHT BY ScRIPTURE, AND IN- 
FORMED AND GUIDED BY THE CONCURRENT 
SENSE OF THE ChURCH CaTHOLIC. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Church of England, above all other commu- 
nions, not excepting that of Rome, has adopted the 
precise rule of Christian antiquity; a rule, pecu- 
liarly developed in that period, when knowledge and 
purity were most perfectly united ; when successive 
conflicts with error, had matured sagacity; and when 
mental vigol' was not yet obscured, by the setting in 
of a night of centuries. To the period here desig- 
nated, we are indebted for a writer, who, above all 
other writers, has settled the rule of catholic inter- 
pretation. Vincentius Lirinensis, a resident in the 
isle of Lerins, a presbyter of the Christian Church, 
flourished in the fifth century. No preceding 
Father, has thrown equal light, on the catholic in- 
terpretation of Scripture : and from no subsequent 
theologian, has the subject received much additional 
clearness. A brief view, therefore, of his system, 
may be no less acceptable from its intrinsic merit, 
than serviceable in illustrating the principles of our 
national Church. 

His first position is, that, 'whosoever would avoid 
error, in religious belief, must consult Holy Scrip- 
ture, as the rule of primary authority; and then, 
secondarilj', have recourse to the tradition of the 
Catholic Church.' But, he continues, 'it may be 
asked, since the canon of Scripture is complete, and, 
in itself, more than sufficient for every Christian 
purpose, what necessitj^ can be alleged, for subjom- 
ing to it the authority of ecclesiastical opinion?' 
To this objection, he replies, ' That, from the very 
depth of Holy Scripture, all men cannot receive it 
in one and the same sense : one person interprets 



XVI INTRODUCTION. 

the Diviue oracles, in one manner; another person, 
in a manner totally different ; insomuch, that, from 
the same source, almost as many opinions may be 
plausibly elicited, as there are men. Therefore, 
amidst so great perplexities, of such various error, 
it is extremely necessary, that the line of prophetic 
and apostolic interpretation be regulated, by the 
standard of ecclesiastical and catholic judgment.' 

Having thus evinced the necessity of some addi- 
tional guidance, subsidiary to Holy Scripture, and, 
having pointed out the sole quarter, in which this 
guidance must be sought, he proceeds, more dis- 
tinctly, to define those instances of evidence, which 
must concur, to warrant our confidence, and afford 
us sure direction. 'We must be peculiarly careful, 
to hold that, which hath been believed, in all 
places, at all times, by all the faithful : 
. . Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omni- 
bus CREDiTUM EST.' And, Icst this, his brief com- 
pendium, should not sufficiently convey his mean- 
ing, he thus more fully expresses himself, towards 
the close of his Commonitory: ' Catholics, and true 
sons of the Church, will make it their especial care, 
to interpret the Divine Canon, by the ti'aditions of 
the universal Church, and according to the rules of 
Catholic theology. Wherein, it is also necessary, 
to follow the universality, antiquity, and consent, of 
the Catholic and Apostolic Church. And if, at any 
time, a part should rebel against the whole ; novelty 
against antiquity ; the dissent of one, or of a few, 
against the consent of all, or much the greater part 
of Catholics, . . the integrity of the whole, must be 
preferred, to the corruption of a part. And, again; 
in universality, religious antiquity must be preferred 
to profane novelty ; in antiquity, first of all, the 
general decrees of universal councils, if such can be 
had, are to be preferred, before the rashness of one, 
or of a few individuals. But, if the question have 



INTRODUCTION. XVll 

not been determined by a general council, we must 
follow that which stands next, in the order of au- 
thority; the concurrent, and consistent sentiments, 
of the most, and greatest doctors.' Having thus 
defined his meaning, Vincentius adds a strong ex- 
pression of his contidence, in the rule which he has 
most sohdiy established;. . 'By these principles, 
faithfully, soberly, and diligently observed, we shall, 
with no great difficulty, detect every noxious error, 
of all heretics, who niay rise against the Church.' 

In these, and similar passages, it is presumed, a 
little attention may suffice to discover, an equally 
striking agreement with the reformed Church of 
England, and disagreement with the uureformed 
Church of Rome. 

1. The Church of Rome maintains, not only that 
there are two rules of belief, . . but, that these two 
rules are co-ordinate : that there is an unwritten, 
no less than a written word of God ; and that the 
authority of the former, is ahke definitive with the 
authority of the latter. Vincentius, on the con- 
trary, recognizes but one primary rule ; ' The au- 
thority of the Divine law; the Divine canon of the 
sacred Scriptures: . . Divini legis auctoritas; canon 
Divinus, Scripturarura sacrarum.' To which pri- 
mary, he adds a secondary rule : 'Ecclesis Catho- 
licse traditio; the tradition of the Catholic Church.' 
Not that he would place anything whatever, in rival 
authority with the sacred word : but, because, the 
depth of meaning, which continually occurs in the 
volume of Revelation, creates a necessity, of resort- 
ing to the concurrent sense of wise and good men, 
as the best security, against private misapprehen- 
sion, and individual incompetency. To prove, that 
this identical view, is, strictly and literally, adopted 
and exemplified by the Church of England, is the 
precise aim of the present observations. 



XVlll INTRODUCTION. 

2. The second remarkable instance, of difference 
from the Roman Cathohc, and correspondence with 
the Anglican Chm-ch, shall now be shortly stated. 
Vincentius, in perfect unison with the Church of 
England, proposes to assist, not supei'sede, the 
faculty of private judgment. This dissimilarity, 
between the Catholic Church of the fifth century, 
and the modern Church of Rome, deserves particu- 
lar attention. The Church of Rome sends her 
children to no approachable standard ; because, her 
own summary decision is their first and last au- 
thority. To this dictation, they must implicitly 
submit, or they are undutiful, rebellious children. 
And, in this manner, the rule of Vincentius is not 
simply neglected, but directly violated, and fla- 
grantly counteracted. For, what are the words of 
Vincentius ? 'Sive ego, sive alius; whether I my- 
self, or any other person, wish to detect the frauds, 
and shun the snares, of rising heretics, he must, 
through Divine assistance, fortify his faith in a two- 
fold manner: by authority of the Divine law, and 
by the tradition of the Church.' This language 
cannot be mistaken : sive ego, sive alius : that is, 
each individual member of the Church, is to look 
to his own faith: each individual, is to guard for 
himself his own faith, by his own best and wisest 
exertions; by his own application of Scripture: by 
his own examination of antiquity. To this liberal 
and enlightened system, what can be more opposed, 
than that dark, unqualified dictation, which is ex- 
ercised by the Church of Rome, through her exist- 
ing functionaries; which allows to none, what Vin- 
centius enjoined on all; which even denounces as a 
crime, what he inculcated as a duty. 

The perfect accordance which prevails, in this 
respect also, between Vincentius, and the Church 
of England, will, it is hoped, on the general grounds 
of this discussion, be sufficiently evident, to render 



INTRODUCTION. XIX 

additional reasoning unnecessary, in this place. The 
topic, however, shall, in the sequel, be compendi- 
ously resumed. 

3. But the most remarkable dissonance between 
Vincentius, and the Church of Rome, will be found, 
in that appeal, to antiquity against innovation, which 
Vincentius urges as a duty, but which the Church 
of Rome strenuously represses, as fraught with 
danger, and, even, as tending to destruction. 'What 
shall a Catholic Christian do,' says Vincentius, ' if 
any novel contagion contrive to infect, not mei-ely a 
trifling portion, but the whole existing body of the 
Church?' The answer is, ' Then, let him carefully 
see to it, that he adhere to antiquity.' That is, indi- 
vidual Christians, who appear to themselves to have 
fallen upon ' evil days' of error, are not to acquiesce 
in that error, however generally maintained, and 
however strenuously urged, by existing authorities. 
As catholic members, of the Catholic Church, they 
are to appeal, from the exceptionable dictates of the 
present age, to the recorded belief of purer times, 
and to the concurrent voice of pious antiquity. 

It is scarcely needful to contend, that the leading 
principle of Roman Catholic discipline is directly at 
variance with this canon of Vincentius. According 
to the Church of Rome, unconditional submission 
is inalienably due, to those, who, from time to time, 
occupy the place of ecclesiastical rulers. They 
constitute the Church; which is to be heard, under 
penalty of being accounted as an heathen or a pub- 
lican : consequently, there is no room for that ap- 
peal, which Vincentius recommends; and accord- 
ingly, the attempt has been branded, with the odious 
stamp of heresy. Thus, Dr. Hawarden,* in speak- 
ing of Arians, (whose errors, however, he combats 
with piety and learning,) uses this language : ' If 



XX INTRODtJCTION. 

they be allowed the plea of all reformers, I mean, of 
appealing from and against the present Catholic 
Church, to the times past, the controversy can 
never be ended, until the dead speak.' 

On the other hand, our best and wisest reformer, 
Ridley, (who, above every other individual of his 
time, was the true interpreter of the recently re- 
formed English Church,) in his disputation at Ox- 
ford, quotes this very sentiment of Vincentius, as a 
ground of justification for the conduct of himself, 
and of his brethren: . . ' And, in that the Church 
of God is in doubt,' says he, ' I use herein the wise 
counsel of Vincentius Lirinensis, whom I am sure 
you will allow : who, giving precepts how the 
Catholic Church may be, in all schisms and here- 
sies, known, writeth in this manner: when, saith he, 
one part is corrupted with heresies, then prefer the 
whole world, before that one part: but, if the great- 
est part be infected, then prefer antiquity.' Glou- 
cester Ridle}', Life of Bishop Ridley, pages 613, 61 4. 
It is remarkable, that no passage of ancient writ- 
ing is more frequently quoted by Roman Catholics, 
than Vincentius's rule of' Quod ubique, quod sem- 
per, quod ab omnibus.' They seem utterly uncon- 
scious, that it is not merely violated, but destroyed, 
by their claim of unqualified dictation : that in their 
hands, the * quod semper,' and the 'quod ab omni- 
bus,' are forced to merge, in a strongly asserted, 
but utterly undemonstrated, 'quod ubique.' Vincen- 
tius was persuaded, that the most manifest agree- 
ment of any one generation needed sanction, and 
might need correction, from the concurrent judg- 
ment of al! the generations which had passed by: 
and that, moreover, the appearance of such concur- 
rence, was not to be at once rested in ; but that 
strict inquiry was to be made, whether the tenet in 
question, was the transmitted persuasion of a party, 
or the acknowledged doctrine of, at least, all the 



INTRODUCTION. XXI 

leading luminaries. But, where is the occasion, 
where indeed is the possibility, of applying these 
two latter tests, if the duty of the individual Chris- 
tian be not examination, but submission? The ru- 
lers for the time, may, perhaps, be bound in con- 
science to consult antiquity, before they decide upon 
a theological question : but their pupils jiossess no 
similar right ; and, on the part of an individual, the 
attempt to exercise such a right, must, necessarily, 
be deemed an act of the most gross insubordination. 

In direct opposition to this spiritual despotism, 
Vincentius, in the passages already adduced, and in 
every additional enforcement of his great argument, 
Dot only recognizes the right of private judgment, 
but makes the exercise of that right indispensable, 
to the duty which he urges. For example, when 
he cautions his reader, that ' the ancient consent of 
the holy Fathers is to be investigated and followed 
by us, with great mental exertion, not in all the mi- 
Duter questions of the Divine law, but only, or at 
least chiefl3% in the rule of faith,' is it not, in these 
words, manifestly implied, that, both the discrimi- 
nation, and the investigation, are to be the act of each 
man's own understanding ? Were authority to have 
been resorted to, for either purpose, that authority 
would surely have been specified. But the expres- 
sion 'magno nobis studio investiganda' proves, be- 
yond cavil, that in the view of Vincentius, not only 
the appeal to antiquity, but the selection of subject- 
matter for that appeal, was the right and duty, not 
merely of ecclesiastical functionaries, but of every 
capable individual, within the Christian pale. 

But Vincentius requires a further exercise of dis- 
cernment, which aftbrds additional, and irrefragable 
proof, that nothing could be more foreign from his 
wish, than blind submission, either to the living or 
the dead. He directs, that, in the appeal to anti- 
quity, not the dicta of every ancient writer should be 



XXll INTRODUCTION. 

taken for granted : on the contrary, he maintains, 
that 'the opinions are to be collected, of those 
Fathers alone, who. with holiness, wisdom, and con- 
stancy, living, teaching, and persevering, in the 
Catliolic faith and communion, have enjoyed the 
privilege, either of dying in Christ faithful!}', or of 
dying/or Christ happily.' And then, he adds, as 
if at once to say all that could be said, for the in- 
spiring, both of caution, and of confidence, ' To 
whom, nevertheless, credence is to be given, on this 
condition, that whatsoever all, or the majority, of 
the Fathers, have manifestly, frequently, and per- 
severingly accredited, by acceptance, by adherence, 
and by tradition, as it were in a certain council of 
teachers, in full harmony with itself, that is to be 
accounted indubitable, certain and unalterable. But 
whatsoever any individual, however holy, and how- 
ever learned, though he were a bishop, though he 
were a confessor, though he were a martyr, what- 
soever any individual holds, beside all, and against 
all the rest, that is to be classed among peculiar, 
secret, and private fancies, rather than opinions, . . 
and is to l)e cai-efully distinguished, from the public, 
general, authoritative doctrine of the Church.' 

How strangely impertinent would such detailed 
admonitions and instructions have been, addressed 
to a permanent tribunal, possessing permanent, un- 
varying infallibility ? And, on the supposition of such 
a tribunal, ho%v palpably incongruous, and absurdly 
idle, to address such observations, to the mass of 
private Christians! An infallible tribunal could not 
need them: the subjects of an infallible tribunal 
could not apply them, without heretical insubordi- 
nation; could scarcely hear them, without sinning 
against the masters of their conscience. But Viu- 
centius drops not the remotest hint, of any such tri- 
bunal: the whole tenor of his discourse, is explicitly 
addressed, to the entire body of Christians : it shows 



INTRODUCTION. XXlll 

what Christians^ individually, were both authorized 
and expected, to do for themselves : it pronounces, 
that all capable members of the Church are under 
a very serious obligation, not only to form an ac- 
quaintance, but to cultivate an intimac}', with the 
whole series of luminaries in the Christian public- 
weal. For it is certain, that thus, and thus alone, 
we can discover those, whom we are to regard as 
our spiritual guides; that high and holy company, 
' in tide, et communione Catholica, sancte, sapien- 
ter, constanter, viventes, docentes, et permauentes.' 

It is not, therefoi'e, implicit subjection to any ex- 
isting authority, but an admission of concurrent 
evidence, intelligently examined, and soberly esti- 
mated, which Vincentius inculcates. The habit of 
mind which he Vvas desirous to form, instead of su- 
perseding reason and judgment, involved their un- 
fettered and enlightened exertion. It was a habit, 
not of mental contraction, but of mental enlarge- 
ment: a rejection of all confined views, all party 
prejudices, all temporary misconceptions; and a re- 
currence to the widest range of inquiry, the purest 
fountain of information, and the most ennobling 
sphere of generous and manly feeling. In a word, 
Vincentius was a Catholic Christian ; and, as a 
Catholic Christian, he would fix our view on the 
Christian cloud of witnesses, in like manner, as the 
view of Saint Paul, in the eleventh chapter to the 
Hebrews, was fixed on the Jewish cloud of wit- 
nesses : he is solicitous, that, from the luminaries 
of our brighter hemisphere, we should derive the 
confirmation and encourgement, the instruction and 
religious elevation, which an apostle did not blush 
to receive, from the weaker radiance of Old-Testa- 
tament faith and piety. 

Such are the views of Vincentius. But where, 
at this day, are those views retained, except in the 



XXIV INTRODUCTION. 

Church of England ?* The Protestant communions 
on the Continent, have not so much as pretended to 
revere antiquity. The Church of Rome has not 
been wanting in the pretension ; but, instead of re- 
vering antiquity, she has idoHzed herself. The 
Church of England, alone, has adopted a middle 
course: moving in the same delightful path, and 
treading in the same hallowed footsteps, with Vin- 
centius, and the Catholic bishops, and the ancient 
Fathers; proceeding as far as they proceeded, and 
stopping where they stopped. 

From An Appendix relating to the Character of 
the Church of England, as distinguished both 
from other Branches of the Reformation and 
from the modern Church of Rome ; postfixed to 
Sermons on Subjects chiefly Practical, by John 
Jebb, Bishop of Limerick. 4th ed. London, 
1832. 

• Rather, in the Churches of Great Britain (i. e. England, Scotland, 
Ireland and the British Colonies,) and America. 



THE COMMONITORY OF 
VINCENT OF LERINS. 

CHAPTER I. 

Introduction. Occasion of the Work, 

The Scripture admonishes us " Ask thy 

' -^ a The old 

father,^ and he will show thee ; thy elders Latin ver- 

, , '' sion, cited 

and they will tell thee :'"' and again, "Bow by v. runs, 
down thine ear, and hear the words of the thers and 

,, , . ,, p tiiey will 

Wise :'"= and again, " My son, forget not my show." 

law,"^ but let thine heart keep my command- xxxii. 7. ' 

ments."* It seems, therefore, to me, Pere- xxii° n. 

grinus,f the least of the servants of God,* LaUn vS- 

that, the Lord helping, to commit to writ- ^vo^ds^^^^ 

ing such things as I have faithfully received ^"y ^'Jf^Ji 

from the holy fathers, would be a work of !^^°^-!"'^' 
J ' f That IS, a 

no small utility ; for my own infirmity, at stranger, 

*' *' •'to wit: in 

any rate, of great necessity. And not only this world, 
the fruit of the work, but the consideration ^,^ . 
of the times and of the opportunity afforded 
by my present residence, engages me to un- 
dertake it. Time devours all human things, 
and it is but fitting that we should snatch 
1 



2 COMMONITORY OF 

something from it in our turn, which may 
turn to account for Hfe eternal ; the more 
especially, inasmuch as a certain ten-ible 
expectation of the approach of divine judg- 
*Note B. ment* urges us to increase our studiousness 
of religious matters, and the fraudulency of 
new heretics requires of us much care and 
attention. The place of my residence, too, 
is opportune for the undertaking, because, 
in avoidance of the populousness and turbu- 
lence of cities, we inhabit a secluded mon- 
astery in a remote village, where without 
any great distraction that which the Psalm- 
ist sings may be realised — "Be still, and 

gLaf.'see' knows that I am God."^ The nature of our 

h Ps. xlvi. - . . , . 

10. profession m this retreat is equally suitable 

to my present purpose. For after having 
been for a length of time tossed in the vari- 
ous and distressing storms of secular war- 
fare, we are at last, Christ thereto helping 
tNoteC. us, laid up in the harbor of a religious life,f 
always most secure for all ; that there, the 
blasts of vanity and pride being lulled, 
pleasing God with the sacrifice of Christian 
humility, we may escape not only the ship- 
wrecks of this present life, but also the fire 
of the world to come. 



CH. I.] VINCENT OF LERINS. J 

But now, in the name of the Lord, I 
will enter upon my undertaking : namely, 
to write, with the good faith of a copyist 
rather than with the presumption of an au- 
thor, what has been delivered down from 
the elders, and deposited with us ; in writ- 
ing, observing it as a rule, to treat briefly, 
not by any means of all points, but only of 
such as are necessary ; and that in a style 
not adorned and polished, but easy and com- 
mon; so that the things discussed may, for 
the most part, seem to be rather pointed 
out than explained. Let those write with 
grace and accuracy who are brought to the 
work either by trust in their own genius or 
by official duty : for me, it will suffice to 
have prepared for myself a Commonitory, 
by way of help to my memory or rather 
my forgetfulness; which, nevertheless, the 
Lord assisting, I will endeavour little by 
little, by calling to mind what I have learn- 
ed, to render more correct and full. Of this 
I forewarn the reader, that if perchance 
what has fallen from me should come into 
the hands of holy men,' they may not rash- iLat.Sane 
ly reprehend in it, what they will see to be 
yet subject to revision, with promise of 
emendation. 



COMMONITORY OF 



CHAPTER II. 



Of the Proof of Doctrine : first, by the Authority 
of the Law of God ; secondly, by the Tradition 
of the Catholic Church. 

Often I have enquired with great 
care and much earnestness, of very 
many men eminent for hohness and doctrine, 
how I might, by some certain and as it were 
general and regular way, discern the truth 
of the Catholic faith from the falsehood of 
•NoteD. heretical pravity;* and have always receiv- 
ed, from all of them, an answer of this sort; 
that I, or any other person wishing to de- 
tect the frauds of heresies as they rise, and 
avoid their snares, so as to keep himself in a 
sound faith safe and sound, must, with the 
help of the Lord, fortify his faith in a two- 
fold manner ; first, namely, hy the authority 
of the Law of God; and then, in the next 
place, hy the Tradition of the Catholic 
Cliurch. 

Here perhaps some one will ask. What 

need is there, seeing that the Canon of 

the Scriptures is perfect, and in itself suf- 

t Note E. fices to the full, and more, for all demands. f 

that the authority of the Ecclesiastical in- 



CH.III.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 5 

terpretation^ should be joined to it? Be- ^^^''^ i^"- 

^ •' derstand- 

cause the holy Scripture, for its very depth, ing. Lat. 

is not taken of all in one and the same gentia." 
sense ; but its expressions are interpreted 
diversely, by one man in one way, by an- 
other in another, so that it seems as if almost 
as many opinions may be gathered out of 
them, as there are men. Novatian expounds 
Scripture after his fashion, Photinus after 
another, Sabellius, after another; Arius, 
Eunomius, 3Iacedonius after another, Apol- 
linaris, PrisciUian after another, Jovinian, 
Pelagius, Coelestius, after another, Nesto- 
rius, lastly, after another. It is, therefore, 
very necessary, on account of such wind- 
ings of so various error, that the line of in- 
terpretation of the Prophetical and Apos- 
tolical writings be drawn by the rule of the 
Ecclesiastical and Catholic sense. 



CHAPTER III. 

Of Universality, Antiquity, Consent. 

In the Catholic Church itself, also, 
great care is to be taken that we hold 
that which has been believed everywhere^ al- 
ways, and hy all : for that is truly and proper- 
1* 



6 COMMONiTORY OF 

• Note F. ly Catholic,* as the very meaning and deriva- 
tion of the word show, which embraces all 

\Lat. fere as nearly as may be univevsally.^ This we 

universali- 

ter. shall only then do, when we follow Univer- 

sality, Antiquity, Consent. Universality we 
follow, by confessing that to be the one true 
faith, which the whole Church throughout 
the world professes. Antiquity, by in no 
wise receding from those senses which it is 
manifest that our holy elders and fathers 

m Lof. eel- generally held.™ Consent, in like manner, 
by adopting, in antiquity itself, such defini- 
tions and opinions as have been held by all, 
or at any rate, almost all, the priests and 
doctors together. 

What, then, shall a Catholic Chris- 

9 4. 

tian do, if some small part of the Church 
cut itself off from the communion of the 
universal faith? What, indeed, but prefer 
the soundness of the whole body to the pes- 
tiferous and corrupt member? What if 
some new contagion essay to spread its foul- 
ness over not merely a small portion, but 
jNoteG. the whole Church at once ?f Then shall 
he take care to adhere to antiquity, which 
is now utterly incapable of seduction by any 
fraud of novelty. What if in antiquity it- 
self error be detected, of two or three men, 



CH. IV.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 7 

or possibly of one city, or even of some one 
province? Then shall he, by all means, 
take heed to prefer v^hatever has been de- 
creed universally by the ancient universal 
Church, to the rashness and ignorance of a 
few. What, if a case arise in which nothing 
of the sort can be found ? Then shall he 
take pains to consult and interrogate the 
opinions of the elders collated among them- 
selves ; of those, that is to say, who, though 
living in diverse times and places, yet con- 
tinuing in the communion and faith of the 
one Catholic Church, have been credit- 
worthy teachers : and whatsoever he shall 
ascertain that, not one or two only, but all 
together ^vitJi one and the same consent, have 
openly, frequently and constantly held, 
written, and taught, that let him understand 
it to be his duty, without any doubt, him- 
self to believe.* * 



CHAPTER IV. 

Of the Proof from Universality against Dona- 
tus ; from Antiquity against Arius. 

That what has been said may be render- 
ed plainer, the several parts shall be illus- 



» COMMONITORY OF 

trated by examples, and a little more copi- 
ously amplified; lest, in an endeavor after 
undue brevity, rapidity of style take away 
from the subject its due weight. 

In the time of Donatus, from whom 
are the Donatists, when a great part of 
Africa plunged into the madness of his error, 
and forgetful of name, religion and profes- 
sion, preferred the sacrilegious rashness of 
one man to the Church of Christ ; then 
whosoever among the residents of Africa, 
detesting the profane schism, were asso- 
ciated with all the Churches of the world, 
they only among them all could be safe 
within the sacred precincts of the Catholic 
faith : leaving, truly, to posterity a noble 
model, after what sort thenceforth, in ad- 
herence to the same good custom, the 
soundness of the whole member should be 
preferred to the madness of one, or at most 
of a few. 

Again, when the poison of the Arians 

§6. 

had infested not merely a certain small 
portion, but almost the whole world,* so that 
nearly all the bishops of the Latin tongue, 
being partly by compulsion, partly by fraud 
misled, men's minds were beshrouded in a 
mist, not knowing which part to take in so 



CH.IV.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 9 

great confusion ; then whosoever was a true 
lover and worshipper of Christ, by prefer- 
ring the old faith to the new perfidy, escap- 
ed the plague-spot of that contagion. The 
danger of that time is, indeed, a sufficient, 
and more than a sufficient proof what an 
extent of calamity follows upon the intro- 
duction of a novel doctrine; since then not 
only small things, but even the greatest 
were put in jeopardy. For not only alli- 
ances, relationships, families, but even ci- 
ties, peoples, provinces, nations, and at 
last the whole Roman empire was shaken 
from its foundation and moved away. For 
when that profane novelty of the Arians, 
like some Bellona or fury, having first of 
all made prey of the emperor, had then 
subjugated the most elevated in the palace 
to its new laws, it thenceforth never left oflf 
mixing up everything, and troubling all 
things, private and public, sacred and pro- 
fane. There was no distinction made be- 
tween good and bad ; as from a high place 
it struck whomsoever it pleased. Then 
were wives polluted, widows' weeds defiled, 
virgins violated, monasteries demolished, nLat.cier 

ici i. e, the 

clerks'* disturbed from duty, Levites° infenoror- 
, . , . . -IT- derof 

beaten, priests driven into exile, the prisons, clergy. 

dungeons, mines filled with holy men ; of cons. 



10 COMMONITORT OF 

whom the greater part, forbidden resort to 
the cities, thrust out and homeless, perished 
in deserts and caves, among the rocks and 
wild beasts, worn out with hunger, thirst 
and nakedness. And all this for what other 
cause but that human superstitions were in- 
troduced in the room of the heavenly doc- 
trine ? that a wicked novelty supplanted a 
well established antiquity ? that the insti- 
tutions of those before us are violated ? that 
the decisions of the fathers are rescinded ? 
that the definitions of the elders are set 
aside ? that the lust of a profane and novel 
curiosity will not keep itself within the 
chaste limits of sacred and incorrupt anti- 
quity ? 



CHAPTER V. 

The Testimony of St. Ambrose. 

But perchance in hatred of novelty 
and love of antiquity we feign all this. 
Whoever thinks so, let him at least give 
credit to blessed Ambrose, who in the se- 
cond book addressed to the Emperor Gra- 
tian, himself deploring the bitterness of the 



CH. v.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 11 

time, says : '*But now, O Almighty God, 
we have sufficiently purged with our ruin 
and our blood the deaths of confessors, the 
destruction of priests, and the wickedness 
of so great impiety. It hath sufficiently 
appeared that they who shall have violated 
the faith, can not be safe." And in the 
third book of the same work; "Let us 
keep, therefore," says he, "the precepts of 
the elders, and not in the rashness of rude 
daring, violate the hereditary seals. That 
sealed prophetical book, neither elders, nor 
powers, nor angels, nor archangels dared to 
open : the prerogative of explaining it is 
reserved to Christ alone. The sacerdotal 
book, sealed by confessors, and now conse- 
crated by the martyrdom of many, which 
of us shall dare to unseal ? Those who un- 
der compulsion had unsealed it, afterwards 
notwithstanding, their fraud condemned, 
sealed it again :* those who did not dare to *NoteK. 
violate it, became confessors and martyrs. 
How can we deny their faith, while we 
proclaim their victory ?" We proclaim it in- 
deed, I say, O venerable Ambrose, we pro- 
claina it indeed, and while we praise it, won- 
der. For who is so demented, as not to 
wish to follow, though he may not have 



12 com'monitory or 

force to attain unto them, those, whom no 
force, not threats, not blandishments, not 
life, not death, not the palace, not its satel- 
lites, not the emperor, not the empire, not 
men nor devils, could deter from the defence 
of the faith of the elders? whom, I say, on 
account of their tenacity of religious anti- 
quity the Lord judged worthy, that by 
them He should restore the prostrate 
Churches, revivify the extinct spiritual peo- 
ples, replace the cast down crowns of priests, 
blot out with the faithful tears of bishops 
(a fountain sent down from heaven,) those 
iittms,"ed wicked, not books, but blotsP of novel im- 
iituras. piety, and at last recal almost the whole 
world smitten with the cruel tempest of 
sudden heresy, from its novel perfidy to the 
ancient faith, from the madness of novelty 
to the ancient soundness, from the blindnesss 
of novelty to the ancient light. 

But in that as it were divine virtue of 
§8. 

the confessors, there is this especially 

to be considered by us, that they then took 

up the defence, not, in the ancient Church 

*NoteL. itself, of any one part,* but of the whole. 

For it would not have been right, that so 

many and such men should with so great 

an eflfort assert the errabund and self-con- 



CH.VI.] VINCENT OF LERINS. l3 

trariant hypotheses of one or two rneu ; or 
should contend for any rashly agreed upon 
conclusion of some small province: but it 
was the decrees and definitions of all the 
priests of the holy Apostolic Church, the 
heirs of Catholic truth, for which they 
chose rather to betray themselves than the 
faith of ancient Universality. On which 
account they have merited so great glory, 
as to be held of right and desert, not only 
for confessors but for the very princes of 
confessors. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Of the Care of the Fathers for the ancient Faith 
of the Catholic Church, instanced in the Con- 
troversy on the rehaptising of Heretics, 

Great, therefore, was the example of 
those blessed men and evidently divine, and 
to be pondered by all the Catholics in un- 
tiring meditation. Like the seven-branched 
candlestick shining with the sevenfold light 
of the Holy Spirit, they set before posteri- 
ty a bright example of the way in which 
thenceforth, through all the varieties of vain 
prattle, by which errors are suggested or 
2 



14 COMMONITORY OF 

maintained, the boldness of profane novelty 
may be crushed by the authority of sacred 
antiquity. 

Nor was this by any means new: 
inasmuch as it had always been the cus- 
tom in the Church, that the more religious 
a man might be, the more prompt would he 
be in opposing new inventions. All Church 
history is full of examples of this. Not to 
be long, we will take one only, and that in 

*NoteM. preference, from the Apostolic See,* that it 
may be as clear as the light to all, with 
what force, with what care, with what con- 
tention, the blessed succession of thebless- 

tNoteN. ed Apostlesf always defended the integrity 
of the religion which was once for all re- 
ceived. Agrippinus, then, of venerable 
memory, formerly Bishop of Carthage, was 
the first of all mortals that, against the Di- 

qviz. of vine Canon, "i against the rule of the univer- 

Scnpture. ^^j Church, against the opinion of all his fel- 
low priests, against the custom and institu- 
tions of the elders, thought that men should 

I Note o. be rebaptised. t Which presumption was 
so fraught with evil, that it not only afford- 
ed to heretics a model for their sacrilegious 
practices, but even gave occasion of error 
to some Catholics. When, therefore, every- 



CH.VI.J VINCENT OF LERINS. 15 

where, all protested against the novelty, and 
all the priests in all directions strove against 
it, everyone according to his ability;' then rL«^pro 

suo quis- 

Pope Stephen, of blessed memory,* the quesiudio 
^ * Note P. 

prelate of the Apostolical See, resisted it, 

together, indeed, with others his colleagues,! tNote Q. 
but yet more than the others: thinking it 
fit, I suppose, that he should as much sur- 
pass others in devotion to the faith, as he 
excelled them in authority of place.^t In auctorUate 
fine, he pronounced, in an epistle which f^^ot'^R^^' 
was then sent to Africa, in these very words, 
that "nothing should be innovated, nothing 
done but what was handed down."* The ^Lat.smn. 

NOVANDDM 

holy and prudent man, it appears, under- nisiqdod 
Stood that the nature of piety allows of no est. 
other course but to consign over to our sons 
all things in the same good faith in which 
they have been received from the fathers : 
that it is our place, not to bring religion 
where we will, but rather to follow where 
she leads ; and that it is the part of Christian 
modesty and gravity, not to deliver to pos- 
terity its own things, but to keep those 
which it has received from the elders. What 
then was the result of the whole affair ? 
What indeed, but that which is usual and 



l6 COMMOXITORY OF 

customary ? Novelty was exploded, Anti- 
quity retained. 

But perchance in that instance the 
invention of novelty lacked patronage? 
So far from it, that there v^ere in its fa- 
vor so great a force of genius, such floods of 
eloquence, so large a number of maintain- 
ers, such an appearance of truth, so many 
oracles of the Divine Law, (but undoubt- 
edly understood in a new and evil way,) 
that it seems to me that all that combina- 
tion could never have been destroyed, had 
not the cause itself undertaken by so 
great an array, the profession, the defence, 
the praise of Novelty, been its own ruin. 

* Note S. What in the end could the African Council* 
itself do ? or its decree, what was its force ? 
God granting it, none ; but all, as dreams, 
as fables, as superfluities, were abolished, 
voted down, trodden under foot. 

And O ! the wonderful change of af- 
fairs ! the authors of that same opinion 
are judged to have been Catholic, while its 
followers are held forheretics : the masters 

t Note T. are absolved, the disciples are condemned ; f 
writers of books shall be sons of the King- 
dom, but their maintainers Gehenna shall 
receive. For who is so demented as to 



CH. VII.] VINCENT OF LERINS. ., 17 

doubt whether that light of all saints and 
bishops and martyrs, the most blessed 
Cyprian, with the others his colleagues, 
shall reign for ever with Christ ? Or who 
is so sacrilegious as to deny that theDonat- 
ists and other pests, who boast that they re- 
baptise on the authority of that Council, 
shall burn to all eternity with the devil ? 



CHAPTER VII. 

Of the Profane Devices of Heretics; and of the 
Danger of having itching ears after new 
teachers. 

It is on account of their fraudulency prin- 
cipally, as it seems to me, that that judgment 
was divinely promulged : for when they are 
contriving to set off their heresy under an- 
other name, they generally lay hold of some 
ancient author's writings rather obscurely 
expressed, which, for their very obscurity, 
seem to suit their doctrine, so that what- 
ever it be, I know not what, that they 
thence put forth, they may appear to be 
neither the first of their opinion, nor alone 
in it. Which wickedness I judge worthy 
of double hatred : as well because they are 
2* 



18 COMMONITORT OF 

not afraid to offer to others the poison of 
heresy ; as because they profanely handle 
the memory, as it were winnowing the sleep- 
ing ashes, of a holy man, and defame him 
by the opinions which they revive when 
they ought to be buried in silence ; follow- 
ing exactly in the steps of their father Ham, 
who not only neglected to cover the naked- 
ness of the venerable Noah, but moreover 
told it to others in derision. By which he 
incurred so great guilt of breach of piety, 
that even his posterity were bound by the 
curse of his sin : much and widely differing 
therein from those blessed brothers who 
would neither with their own eyes profane, 
nor expose to others, the nudity of their re- 
verend father; but going backward, as it is 
written, they covered him; that is, they 
neither approved the error of the holy man, 
nor yet betrayed it: and on that account 
had a blessing bestowed on them for their 
posteriy. But let us return to the matter 
in hand. 

It is with great fear, therefore, that 

& 12. 

we should dread the punishment of al- 
teration of the faith, and profanation of re- 
ligion ; from which not only the discipline 
of Ecclesiastical constitution, but also the 



CH.VII.] VINCENT or LERINS. 19 

censure of Apostolical authority deterreth 
us. For it is known to all how gravely, 
how severely, how vehemently the blessed 
Apostle Paul inveighs against some who 
with marvellous levity had been too "soon 
removed from him that called them into the 
grace of Christ unto another gospel, which 
is not another ;'"■ who had ' heaped to them- vGai. i. 6, 
selves teachers, after their own lusts, turn- 
ing away their ears from the truth, being 
turned to fables,"^ * having damnation, be- ^S^Tunav. 
cause they had made void their first faith.'* ^^ '^""" ^' 
Whom those had deceived, of whom the 
same Apostle writes to the Roman breth- 
ren : " I beseech you, brethren, mark them 
which cause divisions and offences contrary 
to the doctrine which ye have learned; and 
avoid them. For they that are such serve 
not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own 
belly ; and by good words and fair speeches 
deceive the hearts of the simple. "y " Which yRom.xvi. 

17, 18. 

creep into houses, and lead captive silly 

women laden with sins, led away with divers 

lusts, ever learning and never able to come 

to the knowledge of the truth. '"^ *' Vain zSTim.iii. 

talkers and deceivers, who subvert whole ' 

houses, teaching things which they ought 

not, for filthy lucre's sake.'" "Men ofj^^^-'-^^' 



20 COMMONITORY OF 

corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the 

b2Tim.iii. faith.'"' "Proud, knowing nothing, but 

c Lot. Ian- doting'^ about questions and strifes of words," 
guenles. 

"destitute of the truth, supposing that gain 

aiTim.vi. is godliness.""^ 'And withal both being 
idle, they learn to wander about from house 
to house, and not only idle, but tattlers also, 
and busy bodies, speaking things which 

el Tim.v. they ought not:'® " who, having put away 
a good conscience, concerning faith have 

fiTim. i. made shipwreck:'"" 'whose profane bab- 
blings increase unto more ungodliness, and 

6 2 Tim. ii. their word doth eat as doth a canker.'e But 

16, 17. 

it is also well written of them : " But they 
shall proceed no further ; for their folly 
shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Of the Necessity of adhering to sound Doctrine- 
Of the Anathema of St. Paul against the 
Preachers of another Gospel. 

When, therefore, some such, going about 
provinces and cities, and hawking around 
their venal errors, had come even to the 
Galatians ; and when the Galatians, heark- 



CH. VIII.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 21 

ening to them, had become affected with a 
kind of nausea for the truth, and casting up 
again the manna of Apostolic and Catholic 
doctrine were delighted with the dregs of 
heretical novelty; the authority of Apos- 
tolical power so exerted itself as to decree 
with great severity : "But though w^e," he 
says, "or an angel from heaven, preach any 
other gospel unto you than that which we 
have preached unto you, let him be ac- 
cursed"' (or Anathema.^ ) What is that, iGai. i. 8. 

k So Lat. 

which he says, " But though we ?" Why 
not rather, *But though 77' It signifies, 
that though Peter,* though Andrew, though •Note u. 
John, though, in fine, the whole band of the 
Apostles should preach to you another gos- 
pel beside that we have preached,^ let him lOr should 

evangelise 
be anathema. Tremendous stroke ! to have you other- 
spared neither himself, nor his fellow Apos- we have 
, . 1 . . • n 1 cvangelis- 

tles, m order to mamtam tenacity of the ed. Lat. 

first faith ! But that is little : " Though an zeivobis 
angel from heaven," he saith, "preach any quamq'uod 
other gospel unto you than that which we zaSS 
have preached unto you, let him be ac- gSJj^'J^^"' 
cursed." It was not enough, in order to ^^^^^• 
the custody of the faith once delivered, that 
he should have made mention of the nature 
of human kind, but he must also compre- 



'J<J COMMONITORY OF 

hend the angelical excellency: "whether 
we," saith he, "or an angel from heaven." 
Not that the holy and heavenly angels are 
now capable of sin : but this is what he 
saith: If even, saith he, that should come 
to pass which cannot be, whosoever he be 
that should attempt to change the faith 
once delivered, let him be anathema. 

But perchance he spoke this in haste, 
lightly, and rather dropped it under 
human impulse, than issued it as a decree 
of divine wisdom. God forbid. For he 
goes on, and inculcates the same thing with 
great effort of repeated insinuation : "As 
we said before," saith he, "so say I now 
again. If any preach any other gospel unto 
you than that ye have received, let him be 
nGai.i. 9. accursed."" He does not say. If any one 
should preach unto you something beside 
what ye have received, let him be blessed, 
let him be praised, let him be received: but 
'Let him be anathema,' saith he, that is, 
separated, cut off, excluded, lest the wretch- 
ed contagion of one sheep contaminate with 
its poisonous commingling the innocent 
flock of Christ. 



CH.IX.] VmCE>'T OF LERIKS. 23 

CHAPTER IX. 

Objections to the Anatliema answered. 

But perchance these things were given 
in command to the Galatians only ? Then 
were those things also charged upon the 
Galatians only, which are mentioned in the 
remainder of the Epistle, such as these: 
"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk 
in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of 
vain glory, provoking one another, envying 
one another,"" and the rest. But if this is nGai.v.25, 

26. 

absurd, and these charges are addressed 
equally to all ; it follows, that as these pre- 
cepts relative to morals, so do those which 
are given concerning faith, comprehend all 
alike : and just as it is not lawful for any 
one to provoke another or envy another, 
even so is it not lawful for any one to re- 
ceive anything beside that which the Cath- 
olic Church preaches everywhere as the 

Gosnel ° ° ^"■*- "^" 

'^°^P^^- quequaque 

Or perhaps it was commanded then, evangeli- 

^ ^ § 14. zat. 

if any should preach anything beside *NoteV. 

what had been preached, that he should be 

anathematised; but is now no longer com- 

' manded. Then that, too, which is also 

there said, " This I say then, walk in the 



24 COMMONITORY OF 

Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the 
pGai.v. 16. flesh ;"P was commanded then only, and is 
now no longer commanded. But if it be 
alike impious and dangerous so to believe; 
it necessarily follows that as these are to be 
observed by all ages, so those things also 
which are given in charge concerning not 
changing the faith, are enjoined upon all 
ages. To preach anything, then, to Catho- 
lic Christians beside that which they have 
received, never has been lawful, nowhere 
is lawful, nor ever shall be lawful : and to 
anathematise those who preach anything 
beside what has once been received, never 
has been otherwise than a duty, is nowhere 
other than a duty, never shall be other than 
• Note w. a duty.* Which being the case, is there 
any one of so great boldness, as to preach 
something beside that which is preached in 
the Church? or of so great levity, as to re- 
ceive anything beside that which he receives 
from the Church ? That vessel of election, 
that teacher of the Gentiles, that trumpet 
of the Apostles, that herald of the lands, 
q Lat. con- that intimate of heaven, i cries, and cries re- 
coeiorum. peatedly, and to all, and always, and every- 
where by his letters cries ; that if any shall 
have preached a new doctrine, let him be 



CH. X.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 25 

anathematised. On the contrary part, cer- 
tain frogs, and gnats, and perishing flies, 
such as are the Pelagians, cry back, and that 
to CathoUcs ; Take our authority, our gui- 
dance, our exposition; condemn what ye 
did hold; hold what ye did condemn; re- 
ject the ancient faith, the institutions of the 
fathers, the deposit of the elders, and re- 
ceive — What, then, after all ? I shudder to 
say. for so proud are they, that to me it 
seems that they could not be, not affirmed 
only, but even refuted, without crime. 



CHAPTER X. 

Why very great Teachers are often permitted 
by God to introduce strange Doctrine into His 
Church. 

But some one will say, why then are 
men of rank and eminence in the 
Church' often divinely permitted to preach rLa^eicel- 

lentesquje- 

new things to Catholics ? A proper ques- dem per- 

sonaein 

tion, and worthy of diligent and full consi- ecciesia 

constitutJB. 

deration : to which, however, a reply must s Lat. ec- 

. r. . clesiastici 

be given, not oi mine own wit, but on the magistem 

t • /^ 1 1 n r^ T • 1 /> documen- 

authority oi the law of God, and with proof to. See the 
from the administration of the Church/ fow^ch.xi. 



26 COMMONITORT OF 

Let us, therefore, hear holy Moses; and 
let him teach us why learned men, and such 
as on account of their knowledge are by the 
Apostle called Prophets^ are occasionally 
permitted to put forth new doctrines ; 
which the Old Testament in allegorical lan- 
guage is wont to call "strange gods," for 
the reason that heretics hold their own 
opinions in such reverence as the Gentiles 
used to show their gods. The blessed 
t Deut.xiii. Moses, then, writes, in Deuteronomy :* " If 
there arise among you a prophet, or a 
uLaf.qui dreamer of dreams,"" that is, one consti- 
vSe'^e tuted a teacher^ in the Church, who is 
one^who thought by his disciples or hearers to teach 

shall say by some revelation — What then? "And 

that he has •' 

seen a giveth thee* a sign or a wonder, and the 

dream. => ° 

vLo^. ma- sign or the wonder come to pass whereof 

gister. ° * 

w Or, pre- he spake unto thee." Certainly, some great 
praedixe- teacher is here indicated, one of so great 
knowledge that to his own followers he may 
seem not only to know such things as are 
human, but even to be able to foreknow 
things that are above man : such an one as 
the disciples of Valentinus, Donatus, Pho- 
tinus, Apollinaris, and others of the same 
kind, boast them to have been. What next ? 
"And he shall say to thee, Let us go 



CH.X.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 27 

after other gods, which thou hast not 

knowD, and let us serve them." What are 

the 'strange gods,' but foreign errors, 

'which thou didst not know,' that is, new 

and unheard of? ' And let us serve them,' 

that is, let us believe them, let us follow 

them. What at last? "Thou shall not 

hearken," he says, "unto the words of that 

prophet, or that dreamer of dreams." And 

wherefore, I pray thee, is not that by God 

forbidden to be taught, which is by God 

forbidden to be heard? "Because," he 

saith, "the Lord your God provethyou, to 

know whether ye love the Lord your God 

with all your heart and with all your soul." 

The reason is laid open, as clear as the day, 

why occasionally the Divine providence 

suffers certain teachers^ of the Churches to ^Lat. mag- 

istros. 
preach sundry new doctrines. " That the 

Lord your God," saith he, '^may tempt 

you." And truly it is a great temptation 

when he whom thou thinkest a prophet, a 

disciple of the prophets, a doctor, and a 

maintainer of truth, whom thou holdest in 

high reverence and love; — he suddenly 

bringeth in privily noxious errors, which 

thou art neither able quickly to detect, while 

swayed by the influence of his former rela- 



28 COMMONITORY OF 

tion to thee as a teacher, nor canst easily 
think it right to condemn, while hindered 
* Note X. by affection for thine old master.* 



CHAPTER XL 

Instances inNestorius, Photinus, Appollinaris. 

Here perhaps some one will de- 
mand that what has been asserted from 
the words of holy Moses, be proved by some 
ecclesiastical examples. The requisition is 
just, and compliance need not be long de- 
ferred. For, to begin with such as are 
near at hand and manifest, how great must 
we think the temptation to have been, when 
that unhappy Nestorius, suddenly changed 
from a sheep into a wolf, had begun to 
rend the flock of Christ ? when even those 
who were torn of him, for the most part be- 
lieved him still a sheep, and were thereby 
the more laid open to his teeth? For who 
would readily judge him to be in error, 
whom he had seen elected with such gen- 
eral consent of the empire, followed with 
so much devotion by the priests ? Who, 
while distingui'^^'^d by the great love of holy 



CH.XI.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 29 

men, and the high favor of the people, daily 
expounded in public the divine writings, and 
confuted each noxious error of the Jews 
and of the Gentiles? While to make way 
for his own heresy, he inveighed against 
the blasphemies of all the heresies, how 
could it be but that he must possess every 
one with the belief that he taught aright, 
preached aright, thought aright ? But 
this was that which Moses saith, " The 
Lord your God proveth you, to know whe- 
ther ye love the Lord your God or no." 
And to pass by Nestorius, in whom was al- 
ways more to be admired than to be profit- 
ed by, who had more fame than experience, 
whom for a time human favor rather than 
divine made great in the opinion of the mul- 
titude ; let us rather make mention of those 
whose endowment with great attainments 
and great industry made them no small 
temptation to Catholic men. Such an one 
was Photinus among the Pannonians, who 
in our fathers' memory is recorded to have 
tempted the Church of Sirmium: who, 
when he had been raised to the priesthood 
with great favor of all, and had for some 
time administered it like a Catholic, sudden- 
ly, like the evil prophet or dreamer, of 



30 COMMONITORT OF 

whom Moses speaks, began to persuade the 
people of God entrusted to him, to 'follow 
other gods,' that is, strange errors, which 
before it knew not. That was as usual ; 
his case was pernicious, in that he had no 
ordinary means of working so great mis- 
chief. For he possessed great powers of 
mind, excelled in learning, and had a com- 
manding eloquence, both disputing and 
writing in either language with copious- 
ness and force, as is proved by his extant 
books, which he composed partly in Greek 
and partly in the Latin tongue. But well 
it was, that the sheep of Christ committed 
to him, keeping good watch for the Catho- 
lic faith, and cautious, quickly had respect 
to the words of Moses warning them, and 
although they admired the eloquence of 
their prophet and pastor, were yet not igno- 
rant of the temptation. For him whom 

yLat. before they had followed as the leader^ of 
arietern. 

the nock, they from that began to shun as 

a wolf. 

Nor do we learn the danger of thattemp- 

zLat. ec- tation in the Church," and at the same time 

clesieis- ' 

ticae. derive warning to a more diligent custody 
of the faith, from the example of Photinus 
only, but also from that of Apollinaris. 



VINCENT OF LERIN9. 31 

For he created great troubles and distresses 
for his hearers ; while the authority of the 
Church drew them in one direction, attach- 
ment to their teacher in another, and while 
wavering and fluctuating between both, they 
were unable to determine which they 
should select. But perchance he was a 
man of such sort, as to be worthy of being 
readily contemned ? On the contrary he was 
such an one, and so great, as to be but too 
quickly credited in most things. For who 
excelled him in penetration, in practised 
readiness, in learning? How many heresies 
he had put down with many volumes ; how 
many errors hostile to the faith he had con- 
futed ; let that noble and great work in not 
less than thirty books, in which he had con- 
futed the insane calumnies of Porphj^ry 
with great weight of argument, serve to 
prove. It would be long to make mention 
of all his works, by which he certainly 
might have been set on a level with the 
chief builders of the Church; had he not 
in that profane lust of heretical curiosity, 
invented I know not what new opinion, by 
which as it were by the admixture of some 
leprosy he polluted all his labors, and so 



32 COMMONITORT OF 

committed himself that his learning must 
be called not so much an edification as 
rather a temptation for the Church. 



CHAPTER XII. 

The Heresies of Nestorius, Photinus, Apolli- 
naris. 

Here perhaps it will be required of me 
that I expose the heresies of those whom I 
have mentioned above, to wit, Nestorius, 
Apollinaris and Photinus. Not that it pro- 
perly belongs to my present object so to do. 
aLof. per- For it is not our purpose to follow up'' the 
errors of each false teacher, but to instance 
the examples of a few, by which to demon- 
strate plainly what Moses declared, that 
hLat.m&- when any ecclesiastical teacher,** who in so 
^^ ^"^^ far as he interprets the mysteries of the pro- 
phets is himself a prophet, attempts to bring 
in any new thing into the Church of God, 
divine providence suffers it in order to our 
trial. 

It may, however, be useful by way 

of digression to set forth what were 

the opinions of the above mentioned here- 



CH. XII.] vincejSt of lerins. 33 

tics, to wit, Photinus, Apollinaris, and Nes- 
torius. 

Photinus' way of thinking,'' then, is this. «^«'-secta. 
He says that God is to be held to be One 
alone, "^ and solitary, after the manner of the gifl^^."*' 
Jew^s. He denies the fulness of the Trin- 
ity ; nor does he think that there is any 
Person of God the Word, or of the Holt 
Ghost. Christ he affirms to be only man 
alone, ascribing to him an origination from 
Mary : and he dogmatises, on all occasions, 
that we owe reverence to the person of 
God the Father alone, and to Christ as 
man alone. This, then, thought Photinus. 
Apollinaris on the other hand, makes his 
boast as though he consented as far as re- 
gards the unity of the Trinity, yet this even 
not with full soundness of faith : but as to 
the Incarnation of the Lord, he professedly 
blasphemes. For he says that in the flesh 
itself of our Saviour, either there was no 
human soul at all, or certainly such an one 
as had neither mind nor reason. And he 
also said that the flesh of the Lord w^as not 
taken from the flesh of the holy Virgin 
Mary, but descended from heaven into the 
Virgin : and continually wavering and doubt- 
ing on the subject, he affirmed sometimes 



34 COMMONITORT OF 

that it was co-eternal with God the Word, 
sometimes that it was made out of the Di- 
vinity of the Word. For he would not al- 
low that there are in Christ two sub- 
stances, one Divine, the other human ; one 
from the Father, the other from the mo- 
ther ; but thought that the Nature itself of 
the AVoRD was divided, so as that a part 
should remain in God, but another part 
should be turned into flesh : so that whereas 
the truth saith that Christ is One, out of 
two substances, he in contrariety to the truth 
asserts thatout of the one Divinity of Christ 
there have been made two substances. — 
These are the views of Apollinaris. Nesto- 
rius, with a disease the contrary of that of 
Apollinaris, while he pretends to distinguish 
two substances in Christ, forthwith intro- 
duces two persons : and with an unheard of 
wickedness will have it that there are two 
Sons of God, two Christs ; one God, the 
other man ; one begotten of the Father, 
the other of His mother. Therefore he as- 
serts that the holy Mary is not to be called 



rMotherof of her was born, not that Christ who is 
Christ. 

God, but that one who was man. But if 



VINCENT OF LERINS. 35 

any think that in his writings he says there 
is one Christ, and declares the person of 
Christ to be one, let him not rashly be- 
lieve it. For either that is a part of his art- 
ful contrivance to deceive; — that by good 
teaching he may the more easily obtain cre- 
dence for his evil, as the Apostle says 
"working death in me by that which is 
good:"s — either, therefore, as we said, itgRom.vll, 

13. 

is with fraudulent intent that in some pas- 
sages of his writings he makes his boast of 
believing in One Christ, and one Person 
of Christ : or else, at the least, he sets 
forth that two persons were united into one 
Christ only after the delivery of the Vir- 
gin ; so that at the time of the conception, 
or of the delivery of the Virgin, and for 
some space thereafter, there must have 
been two Christs ; Christ having been at 
first born a common and mere man, not yet 
joined with the Word of God in unity of 
person, and having afterward been assumed 
into the person of the Word descending 
upon him: and although now he remain 
assumed into the glory of God, yet for a 
time he would seem to have differed in no 
respect from other men. 



36 COMMOJVITORY OF 

CHAPTER XIII. 

The DoctHne of the Catholic Church on the Holy 
Trinity, and on the Incarnation, against Nes- 
tortus, Apollinaris and Photinus. 

These things then Nestorius, Apolli- 
naris, and Photinus, like mad dogs, 
barked against the Catholic faith : Photi- 
nus, not confessing the Trinity: Apolli- 
naris saying that the nature of the Word 
is convertible, and not confessing two sub- 
stances in Christ, and denying either the 
whole soul of Christ, or certainly that 
there is a mind and reason in His soul, and 
asserting that the Word of God was in- 
stead of a sentient mind : Nestorius, affirm- 
ing either that there always are, or that for 
sometime there were two Christs. B ut the 
Catholic Church holding right opinions, 
both of God and of our Saviour, blas- 
phemes not either against the mystery of 
the Trinity, or against the Incarnation of 
Christ. For it both adores one Godhead 
in the fulness of the Trinity, and the equal- 
ity of the Trinity in one and the same ma- 
jesty ; and confesses one Christ, Jesus, 
not two, and the same equally God and 
man. It believes that there is in Him one 



CH.XIII.] VINCENT OF LER1N8. 37 

Person indeed, but two substances ; two 
substances, but one Person : two sub- 
stances, because the Word of God is not 
mutable, so as Himself to be changed into 
flesh ; one Person, lest professing to believe 
in two Sons, it should seem to worship not 
the Trinity, but a quaternity. 

But it is worth the pains, to explain 
this matter more distinctly and ex- 
pressly. In God, there is one Substance, 
but three Persons. In Christ, there are 
two Substances, but one Person. In the 
Trinity, the distinction is between one per- 
son and another, not between one thing and 
another :•' in the Saviour it is between one Trinitate, 
thing (or nature) and another, not between aZfus^mm 

one person and another.' How is there in ai^^^^^^ 

f i LaL In 
'' Salvatore, 
J aliud Alqne 
' aliud; jion 
alius alque 
' alius. 

another of the Holy Ghost : but yet of the ^^«^- ^^^^ . 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy "f^^s-- "on 

aliudatqae 

Ghost, there is not one nature and another, aiiud> 
but one and the self-same Nature. How is 
there in the Saviour thing and thing, and 
not person and person ?^ Because there is nataiiud 
one Substance of His Divinity, another of ^^. ^^^ 
His Humanity ; but yet His Divinity and S^^^*"^ 
4 



38 COMMONITORT OF 

mLat. non Humanity are not one person and another,™ 
alter. but one and the same Christ, one and the 
same Son of God, and one and the same 
Person of the one and the same Christ 
and Son of God : as in man there is the 
flesh, one thing, and the soul another thing, 
but one and the same man, flesh and soul. 
In Peter and in Paul there are one thing 
the soul, another thing, the flesh; yet are 
there not two Peters, a flesh, and a soul ; or 
one Paul the soul, and another the flesh ; 
but one and the same Peter, one and the 
same Paul, subsisting in a double and 
• Note Y. diverse nature, of the soul and of the body.* 
So then in one and the same Christ there 
are two Substances ; but one Divine, the 
other human ; one from God the Father, 
the other from the Virgin, the Mother; 
one co-eternal and co-equal with the Fa- 
ther, the other produced in time, and less 
than the Father; one consubstantial with 
the Father, the other consubstantial with 
the mother ; yet one and the same Christ in 

nOr, na- both substances." There is not, therefore, 

tures; as in 

all this one Christ, God, another, man; one in- 

passage. . -i ■ 

create, another create ; one impassible, an- 
other passible ; one equal with the Father, 
another less than the P'ather ; one of the 



CH. XIII.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 39 

Father, another of the mother : but one 
and the same Christ, God and man; the 
same not created, and created ; the same 
unchangeable and impassible, and while the 
same, subjected to change and suffering; 
the same both equal to the Father, and 
less than Him ; the same begotten of the 
Father before the worlds, and the same 
begotten in the world of a mother ; perfect 
God, and perfect man ; in the godhead 
complete Divinity, and in the manhood per- 
fect humanity : — perfect humanity, I say, 
inasmuch as he hath both a soul and flesh ; 
yea true flesh, such as ours, derived from 
his mother, and a soul endued with intel- 
lect, furnished with mind and reason. 
There is therefore in Christ the Word, 
the soul, the flesh ; but this whole is One 
Christ, One Son of God, One Saviour and 
our Redeemer : yet One, not by I know 
not what corruptible confusion of the Di- 
vinity and humanity, but by a certain entire 
and singular unity of person. For their 
conjunction has not turned the one into 
the other, nor changed them; (which is the 
peculiar error of the Arians;) but rather 
has so connected both in one, that while 
the singleness of One and the same Person 



40 COMMONITORT OF 

always remains in Christ, there shall also 
remain forever the distinct property of each 
nature, insomuch that the Godhead shall 
never begin to be a body, nor shall the body 
at any time cease to be a body. This ad- 
mits of illustration even from man's estate. 
For not only in this present state, but in the 
future also, every man shall consist of soul 
and body; yet never shall the body be 
turned into soul, nor the soul into body, but 
each several man having a life without end, 
the difference of substance in each several 
man shall necessarily without end endure. 
So in Christ, both substances have eachits 
distinct property for ever, yet are retained 
without diminution of the unity of Person. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Of the Orthodox Use of the term Person. 

,„„ But inasmuch as we often use the 
o Lot. per $ 20. •, i .-, • 

per>onam term person, and say that (jod in aper- 

homo fac- , , 

tiissit son was made man,° we must take very 

'Persona' , ^ ^ ^i ^ /-i 

having for great care, lest we seem to say that (jod 
iiig an ^cK- the Word took on Him our properties 
personage, merely in the way of imitative acting ; and 



CH.XIV.] VINCENT OF LERIN3. 41 

that whatever made up His humau conver- 
sation was done by Him not as a true man, 
but in adumbration, after the manner of 
theatres, where one individual represents in 
quick succession several personages, of 
which no one is his own. For in thus act- 
ing a part, the duties and works of others 
are so done, that nevertheless those who do 
them, do not become what they represent. 
For (to use, for the sake of illustration, the 
examples of secular persons and Mani- 
chees) when a tragic actor represents a 
priest or a king, he does not become a priest 
or a king ; his acting being over, he lays 
down the person he assumed. God forbid 
that we should partake in such wicked and 
abominable mockery ! Let that remain the 
peculiar madness of the Manichees : who, 
while they preach their doctrine of the out- 
ward show of incarnation,? say that the Son pLat. 

phantasis 
of God, being God, took not on Him the pr^dica- 

tores. 
person of man in substance, but simulated 

it in a show of action and conversation. 
But the Catholic faith saj's that the Word 
of God was so made man as to take on Him 
our properties, not fallaciously and in show, 
but truly and actually ; and to deport Him- 
self as a man, not as one who imitates the 
4* 



42 COMMONITORY OF 

doings of another, but rather as in his own 
character ; and altogether to be what He 
represented, just as we ourselves, in that 
we speak, know, hve, subsist, do not imi- 
tate men, but are such. For Peter and 
John (to name them in preference,) were 
not men by imitating human actions, but 
by subsisting as men. Nor did Paul act 
the Apostle, or play the part of Paul : but 
he was an Apostle, and he subsisted as 
Paul. So also God the Word, in assum- 
ing and having flesh, in speaking, doing and 
suffering in the flesh, yet without any cor- 
ruption of His nature, deigned even to go 
so far as not to imitate or represent a per- 
fect man, but to exhibit Himself as such ; 
so as not merely to be seen or to be thought 
a true man but to be such, and to subsist as 
such. Therefore, as the soul, connected 
with the flesh, not turned into the flesh, 
does not imitate a man, but is a man, and a 
man not in show, but in substance ; even so 
God the Word, without any conversion of 
His own substance, by uniting Himself to 
a'man, not confounding Himself with him, 
was made man, not by imitating humanity, 
but by subsisting in it. That meaning of 
person, therefore, must be wholly set aside. 



CH.XV.J VINCENT OF LERINS. 43 

which expresses the assumption of a feigned 
character by imitation ; in which the thing 
is one and the appearance another; in which 
he who acts never is that which he acts. 
Far be it from us to beUeve that God the 
Word after such a deceptive sort took on 
Him the person of a man i But rather so, 
that His own unchangeable substance re- 
maining and taking on itself the nature of a 
perfect man ; He Himself was flesh, Him- 
self man, Himself the person of a man, not 
in show but in truth ; not by way of imita- 
tion but by way of subsistence ; not, finally, 
such as to cease with the cessation of ac- 
tion, but such as altogether to endure in 
substance. 



CHAPTER XV. 

That Christ is very God, and very man; and 
that the blessed Virgin Mary is mother of 
God. 

This unity of person in Christ was com- 
pacted and perfected not, by any means, 
after the delivery of the Virgin, but in the 
Virgin's womb itself. 



44 COMMONITORY OF 

For we must be particularly careful to 
J 21. 

confess Christ not only as one, but 

also as always one : since it would be an in- 
tolerable blasphemy, while allowing Him to 
be now one, yet to contend that there had 
been a time when He was not one, but two; 
being one, namely, after the time of His 
baptism, but having been two at the time of 
His nativity. That immense sacrilege we 
can in no other wise avoid, than by confess- 
ing Him to be man united to God, and that 
in unity of person, not from His ascension, 
nor from His resurrection, nor from His 
baptism, but already in His mother, already 
in the womb, already, in short, from the 
very conception of the Virgin. On account 
of which unity of person, both such things 
as are proper to God, are ascribed to the 
man, and such things as are proper to flesh 
are ascribed to God, indifferently and pro- 
qjohn iii. miscuously. Whence it comes to pass that 

ri'cor.ii.s. it is Divinely written, both that the Son of 
B 'Verbum 

Dei fac- Man came down from heaven,i and that the 
common LoRD of glory was crucified on earth.' 
in the Latin Thence also it is. that, the flesh of the Lord 
the Scrip- having been made, the flesh of the Lord 
3eT^.\%% having been created, the Word of God 
/'ic. "■ Himself is said to have been made," the Wis- 



CH. XV.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 45 

dom of God itself, filled with knowledge, to 

have been created:* and His hands and His tEccius. i. 

4. comp. 

feet are meotioned, as if among things pre- Prov. viii. 

* 12 31 ; in 

sent, both which passages, it is hardh'^ iiie Bless- 
ed Trinity, 
needful to remark, the early Church under- 
stood of the Second Person as having been 
pierced." By this unity of person, I say, it jg^^^^j"* 
was brought about, too, in a way of like ^ossi. 
mystery, that the flesh of the Word being 
born of an undevirginated mother, God 
the Word Himself was born of a Virgin; 
as it is most catholic to believe, most im- 
pious to deny. 

Which things being so, far be it from 
any one to defraud the holy Mary of the 
privileges which she has by the Divine fa- 
vor, and her special glory.* For she is to *^°*^ ^* 
be acknowledged as, by a certain singular 
gift of the Lord, our God, but her Son, 
most truly and blessedly the Tlieotokos (the 
mother of God :) but not mother of God in 
the way which a certain impious heresy 
conjectures, asserting that she is to be said 
to be the mother of God merely by way of 
appellation, on account of her having borne 
the man who was afterwards made God ; 
just as we say, the mother of a presbyter, 
or, the mother of a bishop, not that the wo- 



46 COMMONITORY OF 

man so called brought forth a child already 
a presbyter or a bishop, but that she bore a 
man who was afterwards made a presbyter 
or bishop. Not thus, I say, was the holy 
Mary the Theotokos, (mother of God :) bat 
rather, as was said above, because in her 
consecrated womb was brought to pass that 
most holy mystery; that, on account of a 
certain singular and unique unity of person, 
as the Word in the flesh, is flesh, so man in 
God, is God. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

The orthodox and heretical Doctrines on the Holy 
Trinity, and on the Incarnation, contrasted. 

But now, for the sake of refreshing the 

§ 22. ^ 

memory, let us repeat with still more 
brevity and conciseness, what has already 
been briefly said concerning the heresies 
mentioned, or concerning the catholic 
faith ; in order that the things repeated 
may be more fully understood, and more 
firmly held as inculcated. 

Anathema, then, to Photinus, who does 
not receive the fulness of the Trinity, 
and preaches Christ as only a mere man. 



CH. XVI.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 47 

Anathema to Apollinaris, who asserts the 
corruption of the Divinity, by its change, 
in Christ, and takes away the properties 
of the perfect manhood. 

Anathema to Nestorius, who denies that 
God was born of the Virgin, asserts two 
CiiRiSTS, and exploding the faith of the 
Trinity, brings in upon us a quaternity. 

But blessed is the Cathohc Church, 
which adores One God in the fulness of the 
Trinity, and at the same time the equality 
of the Trinity in one Godhead; so that 
neither doth the oneness of substance con- 
found the propriety of Persons, nor the dis- 
tinction of the Trinity separate the unity 
of the Godhead. Blessed, I say, is the 
Church, which believes that in Christ 
there are two true and perfect substances, 
but one Person; so that neither does the 
distinction of natures divide the unity of the 
Person, nor does the unity of the Person 
confound the ditierence of the substances. 
Blessed, I say, is the Church, which that 
she may acknowledge Christ as being, and 
having been, always One, acknowledges 
Him as man united to God, not after birth, 
but already in the womb of His mother. 
Blessed, I say, is the Church, which under- 



48 coMMorriTORT or 

stands God to have been made man not by 
conversion of nature, but in respect of per- 
son; and that a person, not in show and 
temporary, but substantive and permanent. 
Blessed, I say, is the Church, which 

vLat. prsE- teaches' that this unity of person takes such 
dicat. 

effect, that by virtue of it, in a wonderful 

and ineffable mystery, both Divine things 
are ascribed to man, and human things to 
God : for on account of it she both denies 
not man to have descended from heaven, as 
He was God ; and believes that God, as He 
was man, was made, suffered and was cruci- 
fied, on earth: on account of it, too, she 
confesses Man as the Son of God, and God 
as the Son of the Virgin. Happy, there- 
fore, and venerable, and blessed and most 
holy, and altogether to be compared with 
the praises of the angels above, is that con- 
fession which glorifies the One Lord God 

wLcrf.trina with a trine ascription of holiness.'' On 
sanclifica- ....,,,, 

tione. The that very account it is principally that the 
appears to Church teaches the unity of Cheist, lest 
Ter^anc- she add to the mystery of the Trinity.* 
^^Sc. by Thus much by way of digression, on a 
aua'ternUy Subject to be treated and explained else- 
riu8?^^*° where, if it so please God. Now we return 
to our Droper theme. 



CH.xvri.] vir^cENT or lerins. 49 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Of very great Teachers iclio have introduced 
strange Doctrines. Of Origen. 

We were saying, then, above/ that in ziat^^ma- 

the Church of God the error of the ^^f^\, , 

a Lat. ten- 
teacher,'^ is the trial^ of the people ; and a ^^^°* 
trial so much the greater, as he who errs 
is the more learned. This we showed first 
by the authority of Scripture, then by 
ecclesiastical examples, mentioning several 
who when they had at one time been held 
sound in the faith, had at last either fallen 
into the sect of some other, or themselves 
founded a heresy of their own.'' The truth bChap. xi. 
is one of great moment and utility to the 
learner, and very necessary to be kept in 
mind ; and therefore ought to be illustrated 
and inculcated again and again, by an accu- 
mulation of examples : that all who are 
truly catholic may know that their part is 
to agree with the Church as to the recep- 
tion of teachers,'^ not to follow teachers in cLat. cum 

^ Ecclesia 

deserting the faith of the Church. Many doctores 
„,.,.,,, . . , recipere. 

examples oi this kmd oi temptation might 

be produced, but I judge hardly any com- 
parable to that of Origen; in whom was so 

5 



50 COMMONITORY OF 

much that was excellent, so much pecuhar, 
so much to be wondered at, that at the be- 
ginning any one might readily deem that 
faith should be put in all his assertions. For 
if it is the life that begets authority, great 
was his industry, great his chastity, his pa- 
tience, his endurance. If it be due to fami- 
ly, or learning: what more noble than he, 
who, in the first place, was born in a house 
made illustrious by martyrdom; and then, 
when bereaved, not of his father only, but 
of all his possessions, for Christ's sake, so 
profited by the straits of holy poverty, as to 
be frequently subject to afflictions, as it is re- 
ported, on account of the confession of his 
Lord ? Nor were these things, all of which 
afterward became sources of temptation, 
alone in him ; but there was also a mind so 
powerful, so profound, so acute, so elegant, 
that he left almost every one else very far 
behind; such magnificence of learning and 
of every kind of erudition, that there were 
few points of Divine philosophy, almost 
none of human, that he had not thoroughly 
mastered ; to which knowledge when Greek 
had ministered all it could, Hebrew too 
became the subject of his labors. Why 
should I mention his eloquence ? so plea- 



CH.XVIl.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 51 

sant, so soft, so sweet was his style, that its 
flow seems to me to be rather of honey than 
of words. What were the difficulties that he 
could not clear away by force of argument? 
What was so hard to do, that he did not 
accomplish it with utmost facility ? But 
perhaps it was by a framework of argument 
alone that he supported his assertions? On 
the contrary never was there any teacher 
who used more proofs from the law of God. 
But I suppose he wrote little ? No mortal 
ever more : so that it seems to me impossi- 
ble not only to read, but even to find the 
whole of his works. And that he might 
want none of the requisites for acquiring 
knowledge, he filled up the measure of a 
good old age. But perhaps he was not hap- 
py in his scholars ? Who was ever hap- 
pier? Innumerable are the teachers, in- 
numerable the priests, confessors and mar- 
tyrs that went forth from his fostering bo- 
som. Who;, indeed, is able to recount how 
great was the admiration, how great the 
glory, how great the favor, which he en- 
joyed with all? Who was there at all more 
than usually religiously inclined, that did not 
fly to him from the very ends of the earth? 
By which of the Christians was he not ven- 



62 COMMONITORY OF 

erated almost as a prophet ? by which of 
the philosophers, as a master? And how- 
he was revered, not only in private life, but 
by royalty itself, those histories declare, 
which relate that he was sent for by the 
mother of the Emperor Alexander, on ac- 
count of his attainments in heavenly wis- 
dom, which she ardently loved and favored. 
Proof of it, too, is furnished by his own 
epistles, which he wrote in the authorita- 
dla'. Chris- live style of a Christian teacher^ to the E m- 

tiaiii iiia;?- 

isterii auc- peror Philip, the first Christian among the 
toriiale. 

Roman princes. And if any be disposed to 
object to our relation of this man's almost 
incredible knowledge, as the testimony of a 
Christian, let Gentile evidence at least 
be received, in the acknowledgments of 
philosophers. For Porphyry, that im- 
pious one, says that when hardly more than 
a boy he was stirred by the fame of Origen 
to go to Alexandria, and there saw him, 
then an old man, but clearly such an one as 
had built up a citadel of universal know- 
ledge. Time would fail me, to touch on 
even the least part of the excellencies of that 
man: all which, nevertheless tended not to 
the glory of religion only, but also to the 
greatness of the temptation [which he be- 



CH. XVII.] VIXCENT OF LERINS. 63 

came to others.] For how often do wefind 
one who could easily put by a man of such 
genius, of so great learning, of such influ- 
ence ; and would not sooner use the saying, 
that he would rather err with Origen, than 
be right with others ? And why should I say 
more? The upshot of the matter was, 
that a person so great, so great as a teacher 
and a prophet, became, as the end showed, 
a most dangerous temptation of more than 
human prevalency, to seduce multitudes 
from soundness in the faith. Wherefore, 
this Origen, such a man and so great, by 
presumptuously abusing the grace of God, 
in over indulging his own ingenuity and 
confiding in himself too much, to the dis- 
paragement of the ancient simplicity of the 
Christian religion; by assuming that he 
knew more than all others, contemning the 
ecclesiastical traditions, and the teaching of 
the ancients, and interpreting some portions 
of Scripture after a new fashion ; merited 
to have it said even of him to the Church 
of God : "If there arise in the midst of 
thee a prophet," — and, as a little further 
on, " Thou shalt not hear," it saith, " the 
words of that prophet:" and again, " Be- 
cause," it saith, "the Lord your God 
6* 



54 COMMONITORT OF 

tempteth you, to know whether ye do love 
Him or no." Truly it was not only atemp- 
tation, but a great temptation too, when the 
Church, devoted to him, and hanging on 
him in admiration of his genius, his learn- 
ing, his eloquence, his conversation and his 
influence, suspecting nothing of him, fear- 
ing nothing, was all at once exposed to a 
gradual seduction by little and little from 
the old religion to a new profanity. But 
some one will say that the books of Origen 
are corrupted. I do not resist, but rather 
wish that it were so : for so it has been 
reported and written, by some, not Catho- 
lics only, but even heretics. But we must 
nevertheless bear in mind, that even though 
he himself were not, yet books published 
under his name have been a cause of great 
temptation; being full of many blots of blas- 
•Lat. mui- phemies,* and yet both read and loved, as 

Us bias- , . J . , , 

phemia- his productions, and not another's: so that 

rum vul- , , , , . - , 

neribus although the conception of the error were 

not Origen's, yet the authority of Origen 

is seen to work in persuading men to its 

adoption. 



CH. XVIII.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 55 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Of Tertullian. 
And of Tertullian, too, the case is just 

■' §24. 

the same. For as Origen among the 
Greeks, so Tertullian among the Latins, is 
to be judged clearly chief among all our 
writers. For what could be more learned 
than this man? what more versed in things 
divine and human? His wonderfully capa- 
cious mind, embraced a knowledge of all 
philosophy, all history, and every branch of 
study. No sect of philosophers, but he 
knew it, its founder and maintainers, and its 
system. And did he not so excel in force 
and vehemence of wit, that there was al- 
most nothing which he undertook to over- 
throw, into which he did not by his pene- 
tration break a way, or else crush it by his 
weight ? And for his method of writing, 
too, — who can come up to its just praise ? 
Which is, I know not how, so set thick 
with coherent reasonings, as to compel as- 
sent from those who will not be persuaded; 
containing almost as many sentences®® as eeia<. sen- 
words, as many victories as phrases. This decisions*' 
the Marcions, Appelles, Praxeas, Hermo- 



56 COMMONITORY OF 

genes, Jews, Gentiles, Gnostics and others 
know: whose blasphemies he overthrew 
with his many voluminous works, as with 
so many thunderbolts. And yet, having 
done all this, this man too, this Tertullian, 
I say, little tenacious of the Catholic doc- 
trine, that is, of the universal and old faith, 
and much more eloquent than faithful, after 
all changed his opinions so as to give the 
blessed confessor Hilary occasion to write 
of him in a certain place, "By his subse- 
quent error he has detracted from the 
Con?™ • authority of his approved writings.'"" And 
M*"- thus he too became a great temptation in 
the Church. But of this I will say no 
more. This only I will remark, that by as- 
serting against the command of Moses, as 
true prophecies, the novel ravings of Mon- 
tanus, and those insane dreams of new doc- 
trines of insane women, he deserved to have 
it said of him also, and of his writings, "If 
there arise in the midst of you a prophet;" 
and then, " Thou shalt not hear the words 
of that prophet." Why? "Because," it 
says, "the Lord your God proveth you, 
whether ye love him, orno." 



CH.XIX.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 57 

CHAPTER XIX. 

The Errors of suck men are our Trial. 

These, therefore, numerous and great as 
they are, and numbers of other examples of 
the same kind in the history of the Church 
ought to apprise us, and cause us by the 
rules of Deuteronomy to understand more 
clearly than the light, that if at any time 
any teacher of the Church has wandered 
from the faith, it is permitted by Divine 
providence for our trial, whether we love 
God or not, with all our heart and with all 
our soul. 



CHAPTER XX. 

The Character of a true Catholic ; and the Con- 
dition of Innovators. 

Such being the case, he is a true and 
genuine Catholic, who loves the truth 
of God, the Church, the Body of Christ; 
who prefers nothing to divine religion, no- 
thing to the Catholic faith, — neither the 
authority of any man, nor the love, nor the 
wit, nor the eloquence, nor the philosophy: 



58 COMMONITORY OF 

but disregarding all these, and remaining 
steadfast and settled in the faith, — pur- 
poses for his part to hold and believe that 
alone which he shall have ascertained the 
Catholic Church to have held universally 
from of old; and whatsoever he may find 
to have been brought in, as new and un- 
heard of, after the lapse of time, by some 
one person, either going beyond all the 
•NoteAA. saints or running contrary to them,* con- 
siders that as pertaining not to religion, but 
to temptation. This he will do the rather, 
as being so taught by the sayings of the 
blessed Apostle Paul : for this is what he 
writes in the first (Epistle) to the Corin- 
thians: " There must," saith he, "be also 
heresies among you, that they which are 
approved may be made manifest among 

eiCor. xi. you."s As though he had Said : For this 
19. -^ ^ 

reason the authors of heresies are not at 

once divinely rooted out, that they which 
are approved may be made manifest, that is, 
that every one may show how firm and 
faithful and settled a lover he is of the Ca- 
tholic faith. And in fact whenever any no- 
velty springs up, the heaviness of the grain 
and the lightness of the chafif, are at once 
discerned, and that which had no weight 



CH. XX.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 59 

to keep it within the floor, is driven off with- 
out much effort. Some forthwith fly whol- 
ly away ; but others are only driven off, and 
while they are afraid of perishing and 
ashamed to return, remain wounded, half- 
dead, half alive ; affected by the quantity 
of poison that they have drank, not enough 
to kill, but too much to be digested, neither 
bringing on death, nor allowing them to live. 
What a pitiable condition ! With what 
floods of cares, with what storms, are they 
agitated! For now under the incitement 
of error they are carried away whither- 
soever the wind drives them; anon, return- 
ing to themselves, they are as it were tossed 
back by contrary waves. Now with tem- 
erarious presumption, they approve of 
things seen to be uncertain; anon, in un- 
reasonable pains, they are frightened at 
things which are certain. They are uncer- 
tain whither they shall go, or whither they 
shall return ; what they shall desire, or 
what shun ; what hold fast, or what let go. 
Which affliction, of a dubious and ill-balanc- 
ed heart, is itself, if they did but know it, 
the medicine of divine mercy towards them. 
For being out of the safe port of the Ca- 
tholic faith, they are shaken by divers 



60 COMMONITORT OF 

thoughts, they are beaten and ahnost de- 
stroyed by storms, to the very end, that be- 
ing driven out into the deep, they may 
lower the sails of a proud mind which they 
had unhappily spread to the winds of novel- 
ties, and return to the secure anchorage of 
their calm and good mother, there to stay ; 
that they may first cast up those bitter and 
turbid waters of error, in order to be able 
afterward to drink of the sources of living 
and springing water. Let them do well in 
unlearning that which they did not well in 
learning ; and of all the doctrine of the 
Church, that which the intellect is capable 
of apprehending, let them apprehend ; that 
which it cannot, let them believe. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

The Rvle of Faith, a Trust conmitttd to us to 



Which things being so, as T again and 
^26. 

again revolve and reconsider them in 
my own mind, I cannot sufficiently won- 
der at the greatness of the madness of some 
men, at the greatness of the impiety of 



CH.XXI.] VINCENT OF LERIN3. 61 

their blinded minds, at the greatness at last 
of their lust of error, which make them 
be not content with the rule of faith once 
for all given and received of old, but seek 
every day novelty after novelty, always 
aiming at adding something to religion, 
changing something in it. or taking some- 
thing from it. As if " the doctrine'"^ were M t™- 
not from heaven, which it is enough to have 
once for all revealed ; but an earthly sys- 
tem, only to be brought to perfection by 
assiduous emendation, or rather correction.* •NoieBB. 
Whereas the divine oracles cry : " Remove iProv.xxii. 
not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers ^1^.^,, , 
have set:"' and, "Judge not him that ^,^^ 
judgeth:'"' and "whoso breakethan hedge, ^Ecci.x. 8. 
a serpent shall bite him :"^ and that apos- 
tolical saying by which all the wicked no- 
velties of all heresies are, as it were with 
a spiritual sword, cut off as often as they 
arise, and always to be cut off; "O Timo- ^i Tim.vi. 

' ■^ 20,21. Lot. 

thy, keep that which is committed to thy keep the 

* deposit, 

trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, avoiding 

. . „ n 11 1 profane 

and oppositions of science falsely so called, novelties 

, . , c ■ ^ J of words— 

which some professing have erred concern- which 

ing the faith."™ After these sayings, can mising ' 
there be found any of such inveterate away con- 
effrontery, such unirapressible impudence, f^ui?^* ^ 



Lai. 



62 COMMOrfflTORY OF 

such adamantine pertinacity, as not to suc- 
cumb to such assaults of heavenly oracles? 
not to give way under such weights ? not 
to be beaten in pieces by such blows ? not 
to be shattered by such thunderbolts? — 
*NoieCC. " Avoid," he says, "profane novelties."* 
He does not say primitive things ; he does 
not say, old things; nay on the contrary, 
he already points such out as what are to 
be followed. For if novelty is to be avoid- 
ed, that which is primitive is to be held 
fast ; if novelty is profane, antiquity is saved. 
" And oppositions," he says, "of science 

nio<, of a falsely so called."" Truly it is falsely so 
false name 

called in the teachings of heretics, in which 

ignorance is put off for knowledge, mist for 
clearness, darkness for light. " Which some 
promising," he says, " have erred concern- 
ing the faith." What was it that they erred 
in promising, but I know not what new and 
unknown doctrine ? For you shall hear 
some of them say : ' Come, O ye simple and 
pitiable, who are commonly called Catho- 
lics, and learn the true faith, which none 
beside us understand, which has been hid- 
den for many ages past, but has lately been 
revealed and shown ; but learn it by stealth 



CH. XXll.] V1>'CE>T OF LKRIKS. 63 

and secretly: for it will delight you.' And 
then, ' When ye shall have learned it, 
teach it secretly, lest the world hear it, lest 
the Church know it: for it is granted to 
few to have the secret of so great a mys- 
tery.' Are not these the very words of that 
whore who in the Proverbs of Solomon 
"calleth passengers who go right on their 
ways; Whoso is simple, let him turn in 
hither; and as for him that wanteth under- 
standing, she saith to him, stolen waters 
are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is 
pleasant?"" And what follows ? " But J^^'^g^'/^^; 
he knoweth not that the dead? are there; pLat.the 

dwellers in 

and that her guests are in the depths of earth. Tcr- 
hell."i Who are those "dead ?" Let the Htb. Vc- 

. fhaim,'' 

Apostle expound it: "Who concernmg sometimes 

the faith," says he, '* have fallen away." 'giants/ 

sometimes 
' ghosts.' 
qv.28. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The Meaning of the Charge of the Apostle. 
But it is worth the labour, to com- 

$27. 

ment on the whole of that section of 
the Apostle more diligently. " O Timothy," 
he says, " keep that which is committed to 



64 COMMONITORT OF 

thy trust, avoiding profane and vain bab- 
blings." This exclamation " O" is a mark 
both of foreknowledge and of charity; for 
he foresaw that there should be errors, for 
which he also grieved beforehand. Who 
is at this day "Timothy?" if not either 

rLat. uni- the whole' Church, or specially the whole 

versa. 

body of prelates, who ought either them- 
selves to have, or to infuse into others, the 
knowledge of Divine religion in its entire- 

•La^inte- ness.* What is it to "keep that which is 

eram di- <, xr • i 

vinicuiius committed to thy trust? ' "Keep" it,* he 

scienliam. n ■, ■ c 

tLat. cus- says, on account ot thieves, on account oi 

* watch,' enemies, lest while men sleep they sow 

tares over that good seed of wheat which 

the Son of Man had sowed in His field. — 

Keep " that which is committed to thy 

oLat. de- trust,"" he says. What is that deposit? It 

'The^depo- *^ ^^^^ which is entrusted to thee, not what 

"^•' is invented by thee : that which thou hast 

received, not what thou hast thought out 

•NoteDD. ^o^' thyself:* a matter not of ingenuity, but 

of doctrine; not of private usurpation, but 

of public tradition : a matter brought down 

to thee, not brought out by thee ; in which 

vLat. auc- thou oughtest to be, not a convener,' but a 

trustee; not a founder, but an observer; 



CH.XXII.j VIXCENT OF LERINS. 6o 

not a leader, but a follower. " Keep/' 
says he, " that which is committed to thy 
trust :" preserve the taleot of the Catholic 
faith inviolate, undefiled. Let that which 
has been entrusted to thee remain with 
thee, and be handed down by thee. Gold 
thou hast received : render gold. Substi- 
tute not one thing for another. Do not for 
gold impudently palm off lead, or fraudu- 
lently, brass : I want gold, not in appear- 
ance, but in its very nature. 

O "Timothy" — O priest, O expounder, 
O teacher,' if the divine gift hath made thee l^^f/^^ 

meet, for wit, for skill, for learning, be thou P ^'^^l^' 
' ' ° tor, O doc- 

a Bezaleel of the spiritual tabernacle ; en- tor- 
grave the precious gems of divine doctrine, 
set them faithfully, adorn them wisely; 
give them splendor, beauty, grace. Let 
thy exposition make that which was before 
obscurely believed to be more plainly un- 
derstood. Let posterity thank thee for 
understanding that which antiquity with- 
out understanding revered. Yet that which 
thou hast learned, so teach, that when there 
is novelty in th3^ expression there may be 
none in thy doctrine. 



66 COMMONITORT OF 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Of what kind of Improvement Christian Doctrine 
is susceptible. 

But perhaps some will say, Is there 
then to be no progress of religion in 
the Church of Christ ? There is certain- 
ly, and very great. For who is he that is 
so envious toward men, so hostile toward 
God, as to endeavor to hinder it? But it 
must be such as may be truly a progress of 
the faith, not a change ; for when each sev- 
eral thing is improved in itself, that is pro- 
gress ; but when a thing is turned out of 
one thing into another, that is change. 
Fitting it is, therefore, that the intelligence, 
the knowledge, the wisdom, as well of any 
one man as of the whole Church, should in 
process of years and of ages increase, and 
•NoteEE. make much and rapid progress;* but only 
in its own kind, that is, in the same doc- 
trine, in the same meaning, in the same 
mind. 

The religion of souls must imitate 

§29. ^ 

the habit of bodies, which although in 
process of years they develope and unfold 
their proportions, yet remain the same 



CH. XXIII.] VIxVCENT OF LERIiNS. 67 

that they were. There is much difference 
between the flower of boyhood and the 
maturity of old age : yet they who become 
old, are the very same who had been 
youths; so that in one and the same man, 
although the state and habit are changed, 
yet the nature is one and the same, and the 
person one and the same. The members 
of sucking babes are little, those of young 
men large : yet are they the very same. As 
many as are the joints of infants, so many 
are those of men: and whatever features 
appear in riper ages, already existed pre- 
viously, as it were planted in the seed : so 
that there is nothing afterward put forth in 
old men, which did not previously lie hid- 
den in them, when boys. Whence it is 
beyond a doubt that the legitimate and right 
rule of progress, the fixed and goodliest or- 
der of increase, is this, that in the more 
adult the effect of age always discovers 
those parts and forms which the wisdom 
of the Creator had before formed in them 
when little. But if one of the human race 
were to be subsequently turned into a figure 
not belonging to his kind ; or at any rate if 
any thing were added to the number of his 
members or taken from it ; the whole body 



68 COMMONITORY OF 

must needs either be lost, or become mon- 
strous, or at least be weakened. Thus it 
behoves the doctrine of the Christian reli- 
gion, too, to observe these laws of progress; 
it may be consolidated by years, dilated by 
time, sublimated by age ; yet must remain 
incorrupt and undefiled: it may attain to 
fullness and perfection in all the propor- 
tions of its parts, and as it were in all its 
proper members and senses, but can admit 
nothing more in the way of change, can 
suffer no loss of any property, no variation 
*NoteFF. JD its definition.* 

For example: our ancestors of old 
§30. 

sowed in this field of the Church the 

seed of wheat, that is, the Faith ; it would 
be very wicked and inconsistent in us, their 
posterity, if we should select as the genu- 
ine truth, which was the grain sown, the 
spurious error, which is the tares. On the 
contrary, it is right and consistent that of 
the increase of wheaten teaching, we should 
reap a harvest of wheaten doctrine, the last 
and the first thus not differing between 
themselves. So that when in course of 
time any of those original seeds germinates 
and puts forth and is cultivated, there is 
notwithstanding no change in the properties 



eft. XXIII.] VIJNCENT OF LERINS. 69 

of the germ ; there may be additions to its 
form, ajjpearance, and distinguishing char- 
acteristics, but it retains the same nature of 
its kind, whatever that may be. For God 
forbid, that those rose plants of CathoHc 
sentiments should be changed into thistles 
and thorns !* God forbid, I say, that in that *NoteGG. 
spiritual paradise, from stocks of cinnaraom 
and balsam darnel and aconite should be 
suddenly found to shoot! Whatsoever, 
therefore, by the faith of the fathers hath 
been sown in this Church, which is the hus- 
bandry of God; that same it is fitting that 
the industry of the sons should keep and 
cultivate ; that same should flourish and 
ripen; that same should grow and be per- 
fected. For that those primitive doctrines 
of the heavenly philosophy should in pro- 
cess of time be more neatly dressed out, 
trimmed and polished, is admissible; but 
not so, that they should be altered. They 
may receive evidence, light, distinctness: 
but of necessity they must retain their 
fulness, integrity and characteristic pro- 
perties, f fNoteHH. 
For if once this license of impious 

§31. 

fraud were admitted, I shudder to say 
how great a danger of cutting up by the 



7U COMMOMTORY OF 

roots and abolishing religion would be the 
consequence : since any one part of the Ca- 
tholic doctrine being put away, first another 
and then another, and so on, one after an- 
other would be put away as it were by cus- 

*Note II. torn and established right.* Then the parts 
being thus severally repudiated, what else 
would follow at last, but that the whole 
should be in like manner repudiated ? But 
on the contrary, if new things should begin 
to be mixed with old, foreign with domes- 
tic, profane with sacred, the custom would 
necessarily creep on throughout the whole, 
so that nothing in the Church would be 
thenceforth left untouched, nothing unde- 
filed ; but thenceforward that which before 
had been the sanctuary of chaste and un- 
corrupted truth, would become a very 
brothel-house of impious and disgraceful 

*NoteKK. errors. f But may the goodness of God 
forefend from this the minds of His own 
people! Let it be rather the madness of 
the wicked ! 

But the Church of Christ, a care- 

§32. 

ful and cautious keeper of the doctrines 
deposited with her, never changes anything 
in them, diminishes nothing, adds nothing: 



CH. XXIII.] VINCENT OF LERIN9. 71 

she neither lops off necessaries, nor puts on 
superfluities : she loses not her own, she 
usurps not the things of others ; but with 
all industry applies herself to this one thing, 
that faithfully and wisely treating what is 
old, she may give accuracy and polish to 
what has already anciently received its 
form and beginning, may consolidate and 
strengthen what has been already expressed 
and explained, and may keep what has been 
already confirmed and defined. What else, 
in fine, did she ever attempt by the decrees 
of Councils, but that what before was sim- 
ply believed, that same should be afterward 
more diligently believed ? what before 
was more slackly preached, that same 
should be afterward preached with greater 
instancy ? what before was more secure- 
ly reverenced, that same should be after- 
ward more solicitously cherished ? This it 
is, 1 say, that the Catholic Church has al- 
ways done, when excited by the novelties 
of heretics, in the decrees of her Councils, 
and nothing more : except that what she 
had formerly received from the elders by 
tradition only, that she would consign again 
to posterity in written documents also,* *NoteLL. 
comprehending in few words a great sum 



72 COMMONITORT OF 

of matters, and often that it might be more 
clearly understood appropriating to some 
point of faith not new, a new peculiarity of 
expression.! 



CHAPTER XXTV. 

Profane Novelties to be avoided. Instances 
given. 

But let us return to the Apostle. "O 
533. 

Timothy," says he, " keep that which 

is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane 

fan^ovd- ^°^ ^^'° babblings. "y Avoid them, he says, 

ties of Qg a viper, as a scorpion, as a basilisk; lest 

words. ^ r ' 

their poison be conveyed to thee, as it may, 
not by contact only, but even by sight and 
by the breath. What is it to " avoid" them? 

«i Cor. V. '« Not so much as to eat with such."^ What 
does he mean by -^ avoid them?" "If there 
come any unto you," it says, *'and bring 

»2 Jo. 10. not this doctrine."* What doctrine, except 
the Catholic, and universal, which by the 
uncorrupt tradition of the truth remains 
one and the same through successive ages, 
and shall so remain for ever, without end ? 
What then ? " Receive him not," it saith. 



CM. XXIV.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 73 

"into your house, neither bid him God 
speed : for he that biddeth him God speed 
is partaker of his evil deeds.'"' — "Profane 1^210. lo. 
novelties of words," says the Apostle. 
What does " profane" mean ? Such as have 
nothing sacred, nothing religious in them, 
but are altogether strangers to the inner re- 
cesses of the Church, which is the temple 
of God. "Profane novelties of words," 
saith he: "of words," that is of doctrines, 
of things, of opinions : "novelties," which 
are contrary to old usage, to antiquity. 
Which, if we receive, it must needs be that 
the faith of the blessed fathers will be vio- 
lated either entirely, or certainly in great 
part; it must needs be that the faithful of 
all ages, all the saints, all the chaste, the 
continent, the virgins, all the clergy, the 
Levites and the priests, so many thousands 
of confessors, such armies of martyrs, such 
celebrated and multitudinous cities and peo- 
ples, so many islands, provinces, kings, 
tribes, realms, nations, in fine almost the 
whole earth, incorporated by the Catholic 
faith to Christ the Head, must be pro- 
nounced for so long a series of ages to have 
been ignorant, to have erred, to have bias- 



74 COMMONITORT OF 

phemed, to have believed they knew not 
what. 

"Avoid," he says, "profane novelties 

$34. 

of words" which Catholics never re- 
ceive and follow, but heretics always. For 
in fact what heresy ever broke out, and not 
by a certain name, in a certain place, at 
•NoieNN, a certain time?* Who ever set up a 
heresy, unless he had first divided himself 
from the consent of the universality and 
antiquity of the Catholic Church ? That it 
is so, examples more clear than light de- 
monstrate. For who before the profane 
Pelagius ever assumed such power in the 
free will, as not to think the grace of God 
necessary to aid it in doing good, in each 
particular act ? Who, before his mon- 
strous disciple Coelestius, ever denied that 
the whole human race is involved in the 
guilt of Adam's transgression ? Who be- 
fore the sacrilegious Arrius ever dared to 
sever the unity of the Trinity; who before 
the wicked Sabellius to confound the Trini- 
ty of the Unity ? Who before that most 
cruel Novatian ever said that God was 
cruel, to will the death of the dying rather 
than that he should turn and live ? Who 
before Simon Magus, (whom the apostoHc 
censure smote, and from that old sewer of 



CH. XXIV.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 75 

abominations flowed in a continuous and 
hidden succession down to the very last, 
Piiscillian ;) ever dared to say that God 
was the author of evil, that is ofour wicked- 
nesses, impieties and crimes? Which he 
does by asserting that God with His own 
hands created the nature of man such, that 
of its own motion, and by the impulse of a 
certain necessary will, it is able to do nothing 
else, it will do nothing else, but to sin ; inas- 
much as it is carried away by insatiable lust, 
excited and kindled by the madness of every 
kind of vice, into every abyss of turpitude. 
There are numberless other examples, 
which we pass by for the sake of brevity ; 
all which show evidently and clearly 
enough, that commonly with all heresies 
it is as it were the custom and rule that 
they always delight in profane novelties, 
disdain the decrees of antiquity, and by 
" oppositions of science falsely so called," 
" make shipwreck from the faith." On the 
contrary, it is in great degree the peculiar 
distinction of Catholics to keep the deposite 
of the holy fathers committed to them, to 
condemn profane novelties, and as the Apos- 
tle has said again and again ,*= if any man cGal. i. i 



76 COMMONITORT OF 

preach unto them any otherwise than as 
they have received, to hold him for ac- 



diaf. to cursed.<^ 

anaihenia- 
lise him. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

The Use of Scripture by Heretics. 

Here perhaps some one may ask, 
Whether the heretics also use proofs 
from Holy Scripture ? They certainly use 
them, and vehemently, too : for you shall 
see them fly through every single book of 
the holy Law; through Moses; through 
the books of Kings; through the Psalms ; 
through the Apostles ; through the Gos- 
pels ; through the Prophets. Whether 
among their own people, or among stran- 
gers ; whether in private, or in public; 
whether in sermons, or in books ; whether 
at feasts, or in the streets ; they hardly 
ever put forth anything of their own, with- 
out trying to shelter it by the words of 
Scripture. Read the tracts of Paul ofSamo- 
sata, of Priscillian, of Eunomius, of Jovin- 
ian, and of the other pests: you shall find 
an infinite number of examples, so that 



CH. XXV.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 77 

hardly a page can be excepted, as not dis- 
guised and colored by phrases of the Old 
and New Testament. But they are so 
much the more to be guarded against and 
feared, in proportion as they lurk the more 
secretly under the shade of the Divine Law. 
For they know that their own evil odours 
would hardly please any one speedily, if ex- 
haled alone and undisguised; and therefore, 
they sprinkle them, as it were, with the 
aromatics of the heavenly oracles, that he 
who would readily put a slight on the hu- 
man error, may not find it easy to contemn 
the divine expression. Thus they do as 
those who, mixing some unpleasant potion 
for children, first smear the brim of the cup 
with honey: that unsuspicious childhood, 
first tasting the sweetness, may hat^e no 
dread of the bitterness. Such, too, is the 
caution of those who conceal evil grains 
and noxious juices under the color of medi- 
cinal names, that one reading the super- 
scription of a remedy may hardly suspect a 
poison. 

It is the same thing, in effect, that the 

5 36. 
Saviour proclaimed, when He said, 

"Beware of false prophets, which come to 

you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they 

7* 



78 COMMONITORY OP 

eMatt.vii. are ravenins; wolves.''^ What isthe "sheep's 

15. 

clothing" but the language of the prophets 

and apostles, which they, as it were with 
the sincerity of sheep, did weave to be as 
fleeces for that Lamb without spot, who 
taketh away the sins of the world? What 
are the "ravening wolves" but the savage 
and greedy opinions of heretics, who 
always infest the folds of the Church, and 
in every way in their power rend in pieces 
the flock of Christ? But that they may 
the more deceitfully creep upon the incau- 
tious sheep while the ferociousness of 
wolves remains, they put off"the appearance 
of wolves, and wrap themselves up in phrases 
of the Divine Law, as it were in so many 
fleeces; so that any one feeling the soft- 
ness of the wool, may have no fear of the 
sharpness of their teeth. But what says 
the Saviour? "By their fruits ye shall 

fMatt. vii, know them.'"" That is, when they shall 
16. '' 

have begun, not merely now to utter those 

phrases, but to expound them; no longer 
only to boast of them, but to interpret them 
also ; then that bitterness, that sharpness, 
that ravenousness will be perceived ; then 
the recent poison will exhale ; then the pro- 
fane novelties will be laid open. Then for 



CH.XXV.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 79 

the first you will see the hedge divided; 
then the boundaries of the fathers will be 
transferred; then the Catholic faith will be 
smitten ; then the doctrine of the Churche Ig^f^^iJ^^^' 
will be lacerated. '^"='"^' 

Such were they whom the Apostle 

§ 37. 
Paul smites in the second to the Cor- 
inthians, saying, " For such are false apos- 
tles, deceitful workers, transforming them- 
selves into the apostles of Christ."^ What j| Cor.xi. 
is " transforming themselves into the apos- 
tles of Chbist?" The apostles alleged 
examples out of the Divine Law, and they 
alleged them too ; the apostles alleged 
authorities out of the Psalms, and they al- 
leged them too. But when they had be- 
gun to interpret after another fashion those 
passages which after the same fashion they 
had alleged, then the simple were distin- 
guishable from the guileful, the right-mind- 
ed from the perverse, in fine the true apos- 
tles from the false apostles. " And no mar- 
vel," it says, '*for Satan himself is trans- 
formed as an angel of light; therefore, it is 
no great thing if his ministers also be trans- 
formed as ministers of righteousness."' '2 Cor. xi. 
Therefore, according to the teaching of the 
Apostle Paul, as often as false apostles or 



80 COMMONITORT OP 

false prophets, or false teachers allege pas- 
sages of the Divine Law, by wrongly in- 
terpreting which they attempt to support 
their own errors, there is no doubt that 
they are practising the crafty devices of 
their master; which he would certainly 
never have thought of, if he had not known 
that there is no more easy way to deceive 
than to pretend the authority of Divine 
words when bringing in the cheats of 
wicked error. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

Heretics herein follow the example of the Devil. 

But some one will say. How can it be 
proved that the devil is wont to use exam- 
ples from the sacred Law ? Let him read 
the Gospels, in which it is written : '* Then 
the devil taketh Him," (that is, the Lord, 
the Saviour,) " and setteth Him on a pin- 
nacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If 
thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down : 
for it is written. He shall give His angels 
— t?keej^ charge concerning Thee/ and in their 
Sy waytl^ hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any 



CH.XXVI.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 81 

time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone.'" iMatt. iv. 
"What will that being do to miserable men, 
who attempted the Lord of majesty Him- 
self with testimonies from Scripture ? "If" 
says he *' thou be the Son of God, cast thy- 
self down." Why ? " Because," says he, 
"it is written." The instruction conveyed 
by this passage is to be attended to and re- 
tained by us with great care, that so re- 
markable an example of evangelical authori- 
ty may leave us in no doubt, when we see 
some alleging apostolic and prophetic lan- 
guage against the Catholic faith, that the 
devil speaks by these. For as then the 
head spake to the Head, so now also do the 
members to the members ; the members of 
the devil, namely, to the members of 
Christ ; the faithless to the faithful, the 
sacrilegious to the religious, in one word, 
the heretics to the Catholics. 

But what, after all, does he say? "If 
thou be the Son of God," saith he, "cast 
thyself down." That is ' Wouldst thou be 
the Son of God, and receive the kingdom 
of heaven ? Cast thyself down, then:' — 
that is, cast thyself down from the doctrine 
and tradition of this high Church, which, 
is also esteemed the temple of God. Bat 



82 COMMONITORT OF 

if any one should question any of the here- 
tics, when persuading him to such things, 
How dost thou prove, whence dost thou 
show^ that I ought to give up the universal 
and ancient faith of the Catholic Church ? 
Directly he will say, "For it is written :" 
and straightway he will bring a thousand 
testimonies, a thousand examples, a thou- 
sand authorities, out of the Law, out of the 
Psalms, out of the Apostles, out of the 
Prophets; by interpreting which in a new 
and evil manner, the unhappy soul is pre- 

m Lot. ex- cipitated from the tower of Catholicism™ 

arce Calh- '■ 

oJica. into the pit of heresy. 

The heretics, too, are accustomed to 
make wonderful use, for the deception of 
incautious men, of promises, such as the 
following. They dare to promise and to 
teach that their church, that is, the con- 
venticle of their communion, enjoys a cer- 
tain great and special and quite personal 
•Note 00. favor of God,* so that those, whosoever 
they be, who belong to their number, are 
so divinely cared for, that without any labor, 
without any care, without any industry, 
even though they neither seek nor ask, nor 
knock, they shall be borne up by the hands 



CH. XXVII.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 83 

of angels, that is, preserved by angelic pro- 
tection, so as not to dash their foot against 

a stone, that is, never to be oflended." n Lat. 

scandali- 
zari. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

How Catholics are to defend themselves against 
such acts. 

But some one will say, If the divine 

. 38. 

sayings, declarations, promises, are 

used both by the devil and by his disciples, 
of whom some are false apostles, false pro- 
phets, false teachers, and the whole are all 
heretics ; what shall Catholic men and the 
sons of mother Church do ? by what 
method shall they discern truth from 
falsehood in the Holy Scriptures ? For- 
sooth, they will take great care to do that 
which in the beginning of this Commoni- 
tory° we wrote that holy and learned men oChap. ii. 
had taught us: to wit, interpret the Divine 
Canon according to the traditions of the 
universal Church, and by the rules of Ca- 
tholic doctrine ; in doing which they must 
of necessity follow the Universality, Anti- 
quity, and Consent of the Catholic and 



84 COMMOKITORT OF 

Apostolic Church. And if at any time a 
part rebel against Universality, novelty 
against Antiquity, the dissent of one or a 
few erring persons against the Consent of 
all, or certainly by far the most part of Ca- 
tholics, they will prefer to the corruptness 
of a part, the soundness of Universality : 
and in that same universality, to the pro- 
faneness of novelty, the religiousness of An- 
tiquity; and in antiquity itself, they will 
make the temerity of one or of a very few, 
first of all give place to the general decrees, 
if any there be, of a universal council; and 
if such be wanting, then in the next place 
they will follow what are next in value, the 

p£a<. ma- opinions of many and great teachers? 
gislrorum. ' "^ ° 

agreeing among themselves: which being, 

by the help of the Lord, faithfully, sober- 
ly, and carefully noted, we shall without 
great difficulty detect the noxious errors, 
be they what they may, of any heretics that 
•Note PP. may spring up.* 



CH.XXVIII.] VINCENT OF LERlNS. 85 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

TVkcn, in icliat cases, and for what reason St ap' 
peal is to he made to the Catholic Constnt of 
Ancient Fathers. 

Here I see that it now follows in 

§39. 
course that I should show by exam- 
ples, after what manner the profane novel- 
ties of the heretics may be both detected 
and condemned by producing and collating 
the concordant opinions of the old teachers. 
Which ancient consent of the holy fathers, 
however, is to be with great care investi- 
gated and followed by us, not in all the 
lesser questions concerning the Divine 
Law, but only, or at any rate principally, 
in the RuleofFaith. Neither yet are here- 
sies always to be impugned in this manner, 
nor all of them ; but only those which are 
recent, and novelties ; and that when they 
first arise, before they can have falsified the 
old rules of faith, (being hindered by the 
very scantness of the time,) and before in 
the broader spread of the poison they at- 
tempt to corrupt the volumes of the an- 
cients.* As for heresies that have been •NoteQG. 
spread abroad and grown inveterate, they 



86 COMMONITORT OF 

are not at all to be assailed in this manner, 
because they have enjoyed in their length- 
ened duration, a long opportunity of filch- 
ing away the truth. And, therefore, those 
older profanities, either of schisms or of 
heresies, whatsoever they be, it behoves 
us to convict in no otherwise than either 
by the sole authority of Scripture, if neces- 
sary, or at any rate to shun as already of 
old convicted and condemned by universal 

qiatsa- councils of Catholic bishops. "J 
cerdotum. 

Whenever, therefore, the corruption of 

any error first begins to break forth, and to 

steal for its own defence any of the words 

of the Sacred Law, and deceitfully and 

fraudulently to expound them: directly the 

opinions of the ancients are to be gathered 

tLat. in- for the interpretation of the Text;' by 
terpretan- , . , , . . ^ 

doCanoni. whicli, wherever it may spring up, the no- 
velty, which, as such, is profane, will be 
both exposed beyond subterfuge, and con- 
demned beyond tergiversation. But refer- 
ence is to be had to the opinions of those 
fathers only, who living, teaching, and re- 
maining hnlily, wisely and constantly in the 
Catholic faith and communion, have at last 
attained either faithfully to die in Christ, 
*Note RR. or happily to be slain for Christ.* Even 



CH. XXVIII.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 87 

these, moreover, are to be credited on this 
condition, that whatever either all, or the 
most part, have, as it were by a council of 
teachers agreeing among tliemselves, plain- 
ly, frequently, and perseveringly afifirmed as 
by them received, held and handed down ; 
that is to be accounted indubitable, certain 
and settled : but whatever any, be he holy 
and learned, be he a bishop, be he a confes- 
sor and martyr, may have held either be- 
side and beyond, or against all the rest ;* *^°^^ ^^* 
that is to be classed apart from the authori- 
ty of common, public and general opinion, 
among peculiar, occult and private notions : 
lest with great peril of eternal salvation, 
after the sacrilegious custom of heretics 
and schismatics, we leave the truth of the 
universal doctrine, to follow the novel error 
of a single man. 

And lest any one perchance should 

HO. 
deem that he might rashly contemn 

the holy and Catholic consent of those 

blessed fathers, the apostle saith, in the 

first to the Corinthians,^ "and God hath si Cor. xii. 

28. 
set some in the Church, first Apostles," (of 

which he himself w^as one;) "secondarily, 

prophets," (such as Agabus, of whom we 

read in the Acts ot the Apostles ;) ** third- 



88 COMMONITORT OF 

ly, teachers," who are now called expound- 
'- ers,* whom the same Apostle sometimes 
term prophets," because the mysteries of 
the prophets were by them opened to the 
people. These, therefore, being divinely 
dispensed to the Church of God in divers 
times and places, whosoever shall contemn 
what they with one mind in Christ pro- 
nounce as their sense of Catholic doctrine, 
contemns not man, but God. And that 
there be no discrepance from their truth- 
telling unity, is the object of the earnest ap- 
• peal of the same Apostle, where he says:" 
"Now I beseech you, brethren, that ye 
all speak the same thing, and that there be 
no divisions among you : but that ye be 
perfectly joined together in the same mind 
and in the same judgment." But if any 
decline from the fellowship of their judg- 
ment, let him hear that saying of the same 
Apostle J " God is not the author of confu- 
sion, but of peace ;" that is, not of him 
who departs from consentient unity, but of 
those who remain in the peace of consent ; 
"as I teach," saith he, " in all the churches, 
vvhicii (i. of the saints," that is, of the Catholics, who 

e. ilie 

churches) are therefore saints,* because they remain 

are there- 
fore holy, in the Communion of the Saints. And lest 



tLat. 



CH. XXVIII.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 89 

peradveoture some one, to the slighting of 
the rest, should arrogate to himself to be 
alone heard, alone believed, he saitha little 
after: "What! came the word of God out 
from you ? or came it unto you only ?"y — y i Cor. 
And lest this should be lightly taken, he 
adds :^ "If any man think himself to*^-37. 
be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknow- 
ledge that the things that I write unto you 
are the commandments of the Lord." 



a prophet, or spiritual, that is a teacher" of 
spiritual things, he must be, to his utmost 
diligence, a promoter of equality and unity, 
in such wise as neither to ])refer his own 

. . 1 r 1 1 bLat. uni- 

opmions to those oi others, nor to recede versorum. 
from the judgment of the whole. •* Of 
which commandments, "if any man be 
ignorant," saith he, that is, if either know- 
ing them not he do not learn them, or 
knowing them condemns them, "let him •=^"^•'8'^°- 
he ignorant ;"*= that is, he shall be held un- "^^^ ^^^^ 
worthy to be looked upon of God among known." 
those who are united in faith and equal in 
humility; than which evil I know not whe- 
ther any more bitter can be conceived. 
Which nevertheless we have seen to come, 
according to the Apostolic commination, 
8* 



90 COMMONITORY OF 

upon that Pelagian Julian, who in point of 
opinion either neglected to join himself in 
one body with his colleagues, or presumed 
to separate himself from their body. 

But it is now time that we adduce the 
promised example where and how the 
opinions of the holy fathers have been col- 
lected, in order to the settlement of the 
rule of faith according to their tenor, by 
the decree and authority of a Council of the 
Church. To do this the more convenient- 
ly, this shall be the end of the present Com- 
monitory ; that what is to follow may pro- 
ceed from another commencement. 

END OF THE FIRST COMMONITORY. 



Note. — The Second Commonitory has 
been lost, and nothing more of it remains 
than the last portion, that is, the recapitula- 
tion only, which is subjoined. 



CH.I.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 91 



THE SECOND COMMONITORY. 



CHAPTER I. (otherwise Ch. xxix.) 

Recapitulation of things said in the First Com- 
monitory. 

Which things being so, it is now time 

HI. 
that at the end of this, the second, we 

recapitulate the things which have been 

said in these two Commonitories. 

We have said above that it always has 

been, and to this day is the custom of Ca- 

thohcs to prove the true faith in these two 

ways ; first, by the authority of the Divine 

Canon ; then, by the tradition of the Catho- 

hc Church. Not that the Canon alone 

does not of itself suffice for all things, but 

because many conceive various opinions 

and errors by interpreting the Divine word 

according to their private judgment:'^ ^xid ^ Lat. i>ro 

thus it becomes necessary to fix the mean- tratu. 

ing of the sacred Scripture by the one rule 

of the sense of the Church;^ chiefly, how-eia«. ad 

unam Ec- 

ever, in those points on which the founda- ciesiastici 

sensus re- 

tions of the whole CathoHc Doctrine rest, guiam. 



92 SECOND COMMONITORT OF 

We have said, moreover, that in the Church 
itself, again, regard must be had to the 
consent alike of Universality and of Anti- 
quity; lest we either break off from the 
whole of Unity into the part of a Schism, 
or precipitate ourselves out of the religion 
of Antiquity into the novelties of heresies. 
Furthermore we have said that in the 
Antiquity of the Church itself there are 
two things to be earnestly and carefully ob- 
served, to which whosoever desire not to 
be heretics ought to cling entirely. First, 
if any matter have been of old decreed with 
the authority of a universal Council, by all 

tLat.sa- thebishops*'of the Catholic Church. Then, 
cerdotibus „ -1,1. 

if any new question should arise, concern- 
ing which it would be impossible to find any 
such decree, recourse must be had to the 
opinions of the holy fathers; of those, to 
wit, who each in his own age and place, 
remaining in the unity of Communion and 
Faith, were teachers of approved stand- 
g Let*. Ma- ing '.6 and whatever such shall be found to 

babiiesex- have held with one opinion and consent, 

stitissenu , .. ^ ^ -, ■, 

that may without any scruple be deemed 

the true and Catholic sense of the Church. 



CH. II.] VINCENT OF LERIN8. 93 

CHAPTER 11. 

Recapitulation from the Second Commonitory. 

Which thino:s lest we should seem to 

r , §42. 

put forth more in our own presump- 
tion than upon ecclesiastical authority, we 
adduced the example of the holy Council 
which was celebrated in Asia, at Ephesus, 
almost three years ago, under the illus- 
trious Consulsr, Bassus and Antiochus. 
There, when the settlement of rules of 
faith was in question, lest perchance any 
profane novelty should creep in after the 
fashion of the perfidy at Ariminum, it was 
deemed by all the bishops,»^ who had there J^gfssa-' 
convened in number almost two hundred, cerdoubus 
that the most Catholic, happiest and best 
course would be, to produce in the midst 
the opinions of the holy fathers, known 
some as martyrs, some as confessors, but 
all as having been and remained Catholic 
priests:' in order that from their consent opg.'j ^^J 
and determination the religion of ancient sacerdoies 
doctrine might be confirmed, and the blas- 
phemy of profane novelty condemned. It 
was after having so done, that Nestorius 
was judged contrary to Catholic antiquity, 



94 SECOND ("OMMONITORY OF 

but the blessed Cyril consentaneous to the 
holy olden time. 

Of which fiithers, so adduced, although 
we had forgotten the order, we yet fur- 
nislied the names and the number, that no- 
thing might be wanting to give credit to our 
statements; their array having at that time 
afforded the consistent and harmonious 
judgment, by which both the expressions 
of the holy Law were expounded and the 
rule of divine Doctrine was established. 
Whom, for the refreshment of memory, it 
will be not at all superfluous here to re- 
count. 



CHAPTER III. (orCh.xxx.) 

Fathers -whose works were cited in the Council of 
Ephesus. 

These, then, are the men whose writings 
were recited in that Council, as those either 
of judges or else of witnesses. St. Peter, 
Bishop of Alexandria, a most excellent doc- 
tor and most blessed martyr: St. Athana- 
sius, prelate of the same city, a most faith- 
ful teacher and most eminent confessor : St. 
Theophilus, also bishop of the same city, a 



CH.III.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 95 

raan highly distinguished for his faith, his 
life and his learning; to whom succeeded 
the venerable Cyril, who now adorns the 
Alexandrian church. And lest perchance 
the doctrine should be thought that of one 
city and province only, there were also 
brought in those lights of Cappadocia, St. 
Gregory the Bishop and confessor of Na- 
zianzum; St. Basil, of Caesarea of Cappa- 
docia, Bishop and confessor; and the other 
St. Gregory also, the Bishop of N3'ssa, for 
merit in faith, conversation, integrity and 
wisdom a most worthy brother of Basil. 

But that it might be shown that not 
Greece alone or only the East, but also the 
Western and Latin world, had always so 
held, there were read there also certain 
epistles of St. Felix the martyr, and St. Ju- 
lius, bishops of Rome. And that not only 
the head of the world, but its sides also,* *^ 
might afford evidence in support of that 
judgment, from the south was brought in 
the most blessed Cyprian, Bishop of Carth- 
age and martyr ; from the north, St. Am- 
brose, Bishop of Milan. 

All these, therefore, in the number con- 
secrated by the Decalogue, were produced 
at Ephesus as teachers, counsellors, wit- 



96 SECOND COMMONITORT OF 

nesses and judges ; and that blessed Synod 
holding their doctrine, following their coun- 
sel, believing their testimony, and obeying 
their judgment, pronounced concerning the 
rules of faith without reluctation, pre- 
sumption or favor. A much greater num- 
ber of ancients might, indeed, have been 
adduced; but there was no need: for it 
would not have been fitting to occupy the 
time for business with a multitude of wit- 
nesses, and no one doubted that those ten 
held absolutely nothing else than all the 
rest of their colleagues. 



CHAPTER IV. (or Ch. xxxi.) 

The Sentence of Cyril and the Council. The 
Presumplion of Nesiorius. 

After all which, we added also the sen- 
tence of the blessed Cyril, which is con- 
tained in the Ecclesiastical Acts them- 
selves. For after the reading of the epistle 
of St. Capreolus, Bishop of Carthage, 
pressing and intreating nothing else than 
that antiquity might be defended by the 
discomfiture of novelty, Bishop Cyril as 



CH. IV.] viivcE:yT of leri^s. 97 

prolocutor pronounced the decision, which 
it seems to be not out of the way to insert 
here, as follows : (for it so runs, at the close 
of the Acts:) 'Let this epistle,' saith he, 
'of the venerable and very religious Bishop 
of Carthage, Capreolus, which has been 
read, be inserted in the record of our Acts: 
his judgment being clear: for he will have 
the doctrines of the ancient faith to be 
confirmed; but the novelties, both super- 
fluously invented and wickedly promulged, 
to be rejected and condemned.' All the 
Bishops cried out: 'Those are the words 
of all: that we all say : that is the vote of 
j^]P* *NoteUU, 

What, then, were the words of all, and 
the vote of all, if not, that what had been 
of old handed down, should be held ? what 
had been recently invented, should be ex- 
ploded ? 

After which we admired and commend- 
ed the great humility and sanctity of that 
Council ; inasmuch as so large a number of 

bishops,'' for the most part metropolitans, ^^'^*- ^°* 
^ ' ^ ^ ' numero 

too, of so great erudition and doctrine that ^^'^'^''dotes. 
almost all were competent to dispute upon 
doctrinal points, when their very assem- 
blage in one body might seem to give them 



98 SECOND COMMONITORY OF 

boldness of themselves to venture and 
establish something, did nevertheless inno- 
vate nothing, take nothing upon themselves, 
arrogate nothing at all to themselves, but 
used every kind of precaution not to hand 
down to posterity anything that they had 
not themselves received from the fathers ; 
thus not only well disposing of the matter 
then in hand, but also furnishing an exam- 
ple to those who should come after, how 
they too should reverence the doctrines of 
hallowed Antiquity, but condemn the inven- 
tions of profane Novelty. 

We also inveighed against the wicked pre- 
sumption of Nestorius, in that he boasted 
that he first and only understood the Holy 
Scriptures, and that all others had been 
ignorant, whosoever before him had, in dis- 
charge of the ofifice of teaching, expounded 
1 Lot. uni- , ,. . . . 1 • ,. • 111 

versos sa- the divjne writmgs; that is, all priests,' all 
Perhaps^, confessors and martyrs, of whom some had 
ops.'^ explained the Law of God, and others had 
agreed with their explanations, or believed 
them; in a word, asserted that the whole 
Church is now in error and had always 
erred, following and having followed those 
whom he considered ignorant and erroneous 
teachers. 



CH. v.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 99 

CHAPTER V. (or Ch. xxxii.) 

The additional arithorities, of the Popes Xysius 
and Caslesiine. 

All which would abundantly suffice, 

•^ §43- 

and more, to put down and extinguish 

any profane novelties whatsoever ; and yet 
lest aught should seem to be wanting to 
such fulness, we added at the last a double 
authority from the Apostolic See:* one, *NoieVV. 
to wit, of the holy Pope Xystus, who now 
venerably adorns the Roman Church ; an- 
other, which we deemed it necessary also 
to insert, of his predecessor of blessed 
memory, Pope Coelestine. 

Pope Xystus, then, says in the epistle 
which he sent to the bishop of Antioch in 
the case of Nestorius: "Therefore," says 
he, " because, as the Apostle says, there is 
one faith, whatsoever has evidently obtain- 
ed, that, let us believe, is to be spoken ; that, 
let us believe, is to be held." Then he 
proceeds to the things which are to beheld 
and believed, and says : " Let nothing 
more," says he, "be allowed to Novelty, 
because it is not fitting to add anything to 
Antiquity ; let not the clear faith and be- 



100 SECOND COMMONITORT OF 

mXa^cre- lief™ of the elders be troubled with any ad- 

dulitatem. . r. • ., o. i i ^ 

mixture of raire." fepoken altogether 

nLat.cre- apostolicallv ! setting off the belief" of the 

dulitatem. ^ -^ *= 

elders in the light of clearness, but describ- 
ing the profanity of novelties as the admix- 
ture of mire. 

Thus also Pope Ccelestine, after a like 
fashion, utters the same judgment. For he 
says in the epistle which he sent to the 

oLat.sa- bishops of Gaul,° rebuking their conni- 

cerdolibus 

Gaiiorum. vancy, in that by silence deserting the old 
faith, they suffered profane novelties to 
arise : '^ The blame is deservedly ours," 
says he, " if by silence we foster error. Let 
such, then, be rebuked : let them not be 
left free to speak at will." Here perhiips 
some one will raise a doubt, who they may 
be whom he forbids free speech at will ; 
whether the preachers of antiquity, or the 
inventors of novelty. Let him say, and 
himself solve the doubt 6f his readers. For 
it follows : " Let there be an end," says he, 
" if such be the case :" that is, if it be such 
as some have reported in accusation of your 
cities and provinces, that you cause them 
by a hurtful dissimulation to consent to cer- 
tain novelties: — "Let there be an end, 



CH.VI.] VIiVCE^fT OF LERINS. 101 

therefore," says he, *' if such be the case, 
of the inroads made upon antiquity by no- 
velty." This, therefore, was the blessed 
judgment of the blessed Ccelestine ; not 
that antiquity should cease to put down 
novelty ; but rather that novelty should 
cease to make inroads on antiquity. 



CHAPTER VI. (or Ch. xxxiii.) 

Sum of the Grounds of adhering to Antiquity 
and rejecting Novelty. 

Which apostolical and catholic decrees 

whosoever shall gainsay, he must needs first 

of all insult the memory of St. Ccelestine, 

who gave judgment? that "novelty should p -fa*- sta- 

cease to make inroads upon antiquity." 

Next, he must make a mock of the deter- 

mination"! of St. Xystus, who decided'' that q Lat. de- 

finita. 
" nothing more should be allowed to novel- tLat. cen- 

^ . suit. 

ty, because it is not fitting that anything 

should be added to antiquity." Further- 
more he must contemn the rules^ of the sicrf. sta- 
tu ta. 
blessed Cyril, who instanced the zeal of the 

venerable Capreolus with high praise, be- 
cause he had desired that the doctrines of 
the old Faith should be confirmed, but no- 



102 SECOND COMMONITORY OF 

vel inventions condemned. He miisttram- 

tLcrf. judi- pie, too, on the judgments* of the Ephesine 

synod, that is, of the holy bishops of almost 

ail the East, who under the divine gui- 

MLat. di- dance" thought good to settle"" nothing for 

vjnitus. S3 o a 

vOr, 'de-the belief of posterity, except what the 

cree.' Lot. 

decernere. hallowed and in Christ self-consentient 

antiquity of holy fathers had held ; and who 
ever with vociferations and acclamations 
testified that "these were the words of all: 
this all wished; this all decreed;" namely, 
that hke as almost all heretics before Nes- 
torius, contemning antiquity and asserting 
novelty, had been condemned, so Nestorius 
himself also should be condemned as an 
author of novelty and impugner of anti- 
quity. 

Whose agreement, sacred as it is, and in- 
spired by the gift of heavenly grace, if any 
like not, what course can be taken but to 
assert that the profanity of Nestorius 
was not justly condemned? and at last, too, 
contemn, as something to be cleared away, 
the universal Church of Christ, and its 
teachers the Apostles and Prophets, and 
even especially the Apostle Paul : the 
Church, because she has never given up 
her religious adherence to the Faith once 



t'H. VI.] VINCENT OF LERINS. 103 

delivered to her to be cherished and main- 
tained : St. Paul, because he wrote, "O 
Timothy, keep that which is committed to 
thy trust, avoiding profane and vain bab- 
blings;'"' and again, " If any man preach "'-t.a^pro- 

=> ' & ' •' r fanas vo- 

any other gospel unto you than that ye cum novi- 

have received, let him be accursed." fane nov- 

elties of 
If, then, neither the apostolic directions words.' 

nor the ecclesiastical decrees are to be vio- 
lated ; according to which, always all here- 
tics, and at the last Pelagius, Ccelestius, and 
Nestorius, have been justly and rightl}' con- 
demned by the Consent of Universality and 
Antiquity ; it is surely necessary hence- 
forth for all Catholics who study to prove 
themselves legitimate sons of mother 
Church, to stick fast to the holy faith of 
the holy fathers, and abide in it; but to de- 
test, abhor, pursue and drive out=^ all pro- xLat. de- 

testentur, 

fane novelties of the profane. horrescant, 

insecten- 

tur, perse- 

This is nearly what I discoursed of more ^"^"^"'■* 
at length in the two Commonitories , now 
somewhat reduced, by way of recapitula- 
tion, into briefer compass ; that my me- 
mory, for the help of which they were 
composed, may be refreshed by assiduous 
coramonishing, and not oppressed through 
weariness of prolixity. 



The True Catholics. 

Whether the name Catholic were first bestowed upon the Church, 
or upon that Faith which is the life and soul of the holy Apostolic 
Church, shall be no part of our inquiry. It sutficeth that the name 
Catholic itself is universal in respect both of Church and Faith. 
True faith is, therefore, catholic faith, because it is the only door or 
way unto salvation, alike common unto all without national or topi- 
cal respect. Whosoever of any nation have been saved, have been 
saved by this one and the same Faith, and " whosoever will be 
saved, =' (as Athanasius speaks,) "must hold this Catholic Faith," 
and he must hold it "jmre and undefiled.'" The main question then 
is, who they be that hold this Catholic Faith, and whether they hold 
it undefiled or no. 

Were Vincentius's rules as artificial, as they are orthodoxal and 
honest, the issue betwixt us and the Romanist would be very easy 
and triable. *•**•• 

Catholic and orthodoxal no church can be, unless it hold all points 
of faith witliout admixture of human inventions or of new articles. 
The admixture of a great deal of man's meat with a little swine's 
meat, makes the whole dish to be no man's meat, but swine's meat. 
Our Church, according to Viticentius'.* rule, admits a growth or pro- 
ficiency in faith, in that it holds not only those propositions which 
are expressly contained in Scripture, but such as may by necessary 
consequence be deduced out of them, for points of faith ; and this 
growth is still in eadem genere, from the same root. Other points of 
faith beside these, our Church admittelh none, but ties even her 
prelates and governors to obtrude no other doctrines as points of 
faith upon their auditors, than such as are either expressly contained 
in Scriptures, or may infallibly be deduced from them. And this is 
the fundamental and radical difl^erence between our Church and the 
Romish Church, which admitteth such an illimited increase or 
growth of faith as is in heaps or congests of heterogeneals. — Dr. 
Thos. Jackson. Treatise df the Holy Catholic Faith and Church. 
Ch. xxi. 



NOTES. 



Note A. (Page 1.) 
It has been supposed that Vincent here conceals himself 
under the name of Peregrinus, that he might animadvert 
upon S. Austin the more securely. But there are much bet- 
ter reasons to be given: for I look upon it as partly the eitect 
of his humility, because he styles himself in the same sentence 
" the least of all the servants of God," in imitation of the 
apostle, "I am the least of the apostles," and "less than the 
least of all saints." And as Christians generally go under 
the denomination of "strangers and pilgrims" in Scripture, 
so Vincent had a more particular reason for assuming the 
title of Peregrine or " stranger," as being a monk, and more 
eminently estranged from the world. Besides, it was a com- 
mon practice, especially among the monks of Xerins, to dis- 
guise themselves under an appellative name. Thus Salvian 
took the name of Timotheus ; and Honoratus the abbot and 
founder of this monastery, who wrote the life of S. Hilary, 
Bishop of Aries, assumed the name of Reverendus. — Reeves. 

Note B. (Page 2.) 
The dreadful calamities consequent upon the barbarian 
incursions that were taking place when Vincent wrote, kept 
the minds of men in fearful expectation of the judgments pre- 
dicted as forerunners of the final consummation. Genseric 
and his Vandals had just devastated northern Africa, and 
Alaric, at the head of the Huns, was desolating the East and 
South of Europe. 



Note C. (Page 2.) 

The same solitary way ot'living is highly recommended by 
Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzen, Chrj'sostom, and many others. 
The storms and persecutions of those times no doubt helped 
to inspire their panegyrics, and increase the passion for re- 
tirement. Had our author lived to see the degeneracy of 
some monasteries, he would have found it possible to suffer 
" shipwreck" in his beloved haven, and not have called it 
" ahoays most secure /or aZ/." — The reader may take notice 
here, what an humble acknowledgment our author expresses 
of the necessity of Divine grace; for we have "Christ 
thereto helping," " in the name of the Lord," " the Lord 
assisting," " with the help of the Lord," all within a few 
lines one of another. — Reeves. 

Noted. (Page 4.) 

Is it possible to imagine, that at this time there should 
have been a famous infallible judge of controversies fixed at 
Rome, and a Western monk, and he a great reverencer Of 
that apostolic see, know nothing of it ? And in this case, 
idem est non esse, etnon apparere. Infallibility had as good 
not be at all, as not appear to be. Nay, that Vincent in a 
set discourse about a rule of faith and a. preservative against 
heresy and schism, should not only pass over the Church of 
Rome, but exclude it, is more strange yet. And yet thus it 
is ; for here he tells us, that after his utmost inquiries among 
the living and the dead, among the best men, and the best 
books, he could meet with no other direction for the security 
of his faith, but to follow the Holy Scripture as interpreted 
by the universal Church. — Reeves. 



107 



Note E. (Page 4.) 



Our author asserts the canon of Scripture to be perfect, and 
abundantly sufficient in all respects, meaning, that it contains 
all things necessary to salvation fully and clearly, provided a 
man comes with au ordinary understanding, and an honest 
heart ; for the sun itself is no direction to a blind man, or, 
which is all one, to a man that wilfully shuts his eyes. Now 
here, again, it is worth observing how the Church of Rome 
engrosses the ancients, and yet contradicts their doctrine; 
for in opposition to Vincent, the Papists 'acknowledge the 
Scripture to be a perfect rule, as much as a writing can be a 
rule; only they deny that it excludes unwritten tradition;' 
that is, the Scripture is a ' perfect rule,' only it is nnperfect 
and wants tradition ; and yet the determinations of the Coun- 
cil of Trent mat/ be a perfect written rule, though the Holy 
Scripture cannot. In the next place, it well deserves our 
notice, that after our author has affirmed the Scripture to be a 
perfect rule, he mentions not the least tittle of any necessity 
of an infallible living judge to interpret that rule. And in- 
deed it had been extrertiely impertinent if he had mentioned 
it ; for supposing I am to go a journey, if 1 know my way, 
or have a plain rule to know it by, I want no guide ; and if 
I have an infallible guide, I want neither to know my way, 
nor to have a rule. But because our author knew that the 
Gospel was a touchstone of ingenuousness, and was never 
designed to drag men to be Christians, but to lead them like 
rational creatures ; and because a crooked wit may pervert 
the plainest text, and "some things" are "hard to be under- 
stood, which unlearned and unstable men wrest to their own 
damnation ;" therefore, to prevent any fatal mistakes, we are 
sent to the Catholic Church of the first ages of Christianity 



108 NOTES. 

for the interpretation of Scripture. And tin's secondary rnle 
of Vincent the Church of England is at this day willing to 
be tried by. — Reeves. 

Note F. (Page 6.) 

That which makes an orthodox Church, is an orthodox 
faith; and according to this rule of Vincent, that is the true 
Catholic faith which has "obtained in all places, at all times, 
and been believed by all the faithful." Let us now see how 
the present Church of Rome, who appropriates to herself the 
name of " Catholic," can justify this title according to this 
definition. Let her prove then her unwritten traditions, her 
seven sacraments, the sacrifice of the mass, transubstantia- 
tion, her half-communion, purgatory, invocation of saints, 
worship of images, the Pope's infallibility, and all the defini- 
tions of the Trent Council : thai is, let her prove the creed of 
Pope Pius the Fourth to have been the creed of all the 
Churches at all times from the apostles to the Council of 
Nice, or only in the days of the apostles, and we will allow 
her to be a true member of the Catholic Church. But even 
then, the Roman cannot be called the Catholic Church ; un- 
less it be by the same figure as they now call a communion 
"single." Bui till she can prove her doctrines to be agree- 
able to the Holy Scriptures, as interpreted by the general 
consent of the ancients in all times and places, it is evident 
that by this rule of Vincent she holds not the true Catholic 
faith, and consequently deserves not to be called a Catholic 
Church. — Reeves. 

NoteG. (Page 6.) 

It is to be observed, that Vincent does not imply that the 
actual communication of heretical " contagion" to "the whole 



NOTES. 109 

Church" is possible. He merely speaks of the "essay" or 
endeavour of such contagion "to spread its foulness over the 
whole Church" — si commaculare coneiur. Doubtless, the 
very means which he recommends to individuals for their 
own preservation are those which the Lord makes effectual 
for the fulfilment of His promise to the Body, that " the gates 
of hell shall not prevail against it." 

Note H. (Page 7.) 

The duty to believe without any doubt is a very different 
thing from the certainty without possibility of error for 
which the Romish arguments for infallibility teach us to seek. 
The whole of this chapter of Vincent, (as therefore, his 
whole work) implies the duty of private judgment; which 
the infallible teaching o^ an infallible Church would utterly 
destroy. And yet without substituting, as is pretended, ab- 
solute certainly for the undoubting belief recommended by 
Vincent. For the Church itself, the pretended 'infallible 
teacher,' must be infallibly known, to be such. And how 
is it to be so known ? Through fallible means of knowledge, 
beyond all question. And thus after all, the ' infallible teach- 
ing' will rest upon a ' belief without doubt ;' that is, the pyra- 
mid will stand upon its apex. It is in the process of settling 
belief on moral evidence that the trial of faith consists. In- 
fallible authority that should leave no room for such a process 
would destroy freedom and probation, under pretext of setting 
aside temptation. Which ' tentatio,'' or trial, be it observed, 
is assumed as the veiy groundwork of Vincent's treatise, 
which might with great propriety be entitled. Of the Use of 
Private Judgment in the Probation of the Church. 

10 



110 NOTES. 

Note I. (Page 8.) 

See Palmer's Treatise on the Church. Part IV. Ch. ix. 
Sect. 1. Ch. X. Sect. 2. — "Vincentius says the bishops were 
deceived, he does not affirm that ibey really adopted Arian- 
ism. The obscurity that fell on the minds of men at the 
Synod of Ariminum, arose from the temporary appearance of 
contradiction between the Church's judgment then, and at 
the Synod of Nice; and during such a temporai-y difficulty 
the faithful would of course follow the light of ancient tradi- 
tion. A very short time, however, sufficed to show that the 
Church had really never contradicted herself; and the Nicene 
faith was acknowledge to be the divine, the eternal, the un- 
changeable truth of Christianity." — Palmer. 

The case adduced here by Vincent is unfortunate for the 
pretensions of Rome, inasmuch as Liberius, the Bishop of 
Rome, was for a time among those whom force or fraud 
' misled," in the Arian troubles. The " bishops of the Latin 
tongue," too, are specified as having been "infected" and 
not the shghest allusion made to Rome as a means of their 
recovery. " I would fain see a reason why this author should 
not direct us to the Church of Rome for security in such a 
case, had he thought infallibility had taken up its seat there." 
Far from doing so, " whenever the Hke infection should hap- 
pen to overrun Christendom, he directs us to keep close to 
antiquity, to the Catholic faith in the first ages of the 
Church." — Reeves. 

Note K. (Page 11.) 

By the "sacerdotal book" here mentioned, I understand 
the Holy Scripture, the sacred depositum of our High Priest 
Christ Jesus, committed by the apostles to the charge of 



NOTES. Ill 

their successors. By *' unsealing" that book, I understand 
offering violence to the articles of faith therein contained, and 
confirmed, signed and sealed as it were, by the blood and 
sufferings of so many martyrs and confessors. By the " com- 
pulsion" and "fraud" here mentioned, which prevailed on 
some to " unseal" the book, which they afterwards repented 
of, and " sealed it again," that is, professed the faith which 
by trick and violence they were wrought upon to deny ; by 
this I take to be meant the practices at Ariminum, and what 
St. Hilary refers to, when he tells Constantius of his shutting 
up the bishops in a city, to weaken them by famine, and kill 
them with the rigor of the winter* — Reeves. 

Note L. (Page 12.) 

" Not of any one parV therefore, not of Rome, which, as 
a diocese, is such a " part" as is here in the mind of Vincent. 
Just as Cyprian says " Episcopatus unus, cujus a singulis in 
solidum, j9ars, tenetur" — (the episcopate is a whole, of which 
each bishop holds a part in full possession) the bishop of 
Rome, according to the famous saying of Jerome, as much as 
the bishop of Eugubium, and no more. " How" asks Reeves, 
" could Vincent propose it here to our especial considera- 
tion, that these noble confessors of old never stood up in de- 
fence of the doctrine of any particular church or party, but in 
defence only of the faith of the ancient universal Chui-ch ? 
How, I say, could he propose the practice of these Christian 
worthies to our imitation in the like case ? how could he con- 
tinually adjure us to keep close to antiquity, and the decrees 
of the first general councils, had he in the least dreamt that 
the particular Church of Rome had authority to double the 



112 NOTKS. 

articles of faith, and add twelve new ones to the Nicene 
Creed, and make them as necessary to salvation as all the 
rest 2" 

Note M. (Page 14.) 

Churches were called "Apostolic," upon two accounts; 
from their apostolic founders, and from their apostolic doc- 
trine. For thus Terlullian (PrcescHpt. cap. 36.) "Run 
over the apostolic churches, wherein the very chairs of the 
apostles are yet sat upon in their places. Is Achaia near 
thee ? There thou hast Corinth. If thou art not far from 
Macedonia, thou hast Philippi, thou hast Thessalonica. If 
thou canst go into Asia, there thou hast Ephesus. If thou be 
adjacent to Italy, there thou hast Rome, whose authority is 
near at hand to us" in Africa, to wit. From which passage 
the reader cannot but take notice how Terlullian puts all 
these " apostolical" churches upon the level, and directs us 
only to consult that church which lay nearest to us ; which 
certainly he would never have done, had he known the Church 
of Rome to be more infallible than all the rest. The other 
reason why churches are called " apostolic" is, from their 
conformity to the doctrine of the Apostles. " For to this 
test" says the same author again (^Prcsscript. cap. 32.) 
" we bring all those churches which have been founded, and 
every day are founded, though not by Apostles or apostolic 
men, (being later, and but newly constituted,) yet conspiring 
in the same faith, and because of their conformity in doctrine, 
are to be accounted every whit as apostolic as the very first 
churches planted by the Apostles." — Reeves. — Vincent 
speaks of " the apostolic see," as a Western writer, having 
access to but one church deriving the succession of its bishops 



NOTES. 113 

certainly from the apostles, that, namely, of Rome. See 
Laud's Conference toith Fisher, $ 38. No. 27. 

Note N. (Page 14.) 

Bishop Pearson has'shown {De Successione prim. Rom. 
Episcoporum, Diss. I. cap. iii. $ 2,) by quotations from Au- 
gustine, Fulgentius and Ruffinus, that by " the blessed suc- 
cession of the blessed apostles" we are to understand, the 
line of bishops who succeeded in the churches founded by 
the apostles. — Pearson's Minor Theological Works, II. 
309, 310. 

Note 0. (Page 14.) 

The subject of the controversies concerning the validity of 
heretical and schismatical baptisms is too extensive for dis- 
cussion here. It is very fully and ably presented by Dr. Pu- 
sey, in his Note (G) to the translation of TertuUian's Trea- 
tise of Baptism published in the " Library of the Fathers." 
(Vol. X. p. 280. ss.) His summary is : "The Baptism of 
the Church was no second Baptism, because there had been 
no first. On this question there were three views in the an- 
cient Church ; first, that of the early African Church and of 
Asia Minor, in the time of Firmilian, which rejected all bap- 
tism out of the Church, schismatical as well as heretical ; 
second, that of the Greek Church generally, stated fully by 
S. Basil, which accepted schismatical, but rejected heretical 
baptism ; third, that first mentioned by Stephen, Bishop of 
Rome, who accepted all baptism, even of heretics, which had 
been given in the name of the Trinity. The second continues 
to be the rule of the Greek; the third, (with some modifica- 
^10* 



114 NOTES. 

tions,) of the Latin, Church. In both, it was presupposed 
that the minister had at one time received the commission to 
baptise ; the case of schismatical baptism, as it is now found 
among us, not occurring." (Ibid p. 281.) — " Vincent cannot 
mean that Agrippinus was the first innovator against all the 
known rules and constant practice of the primitive Church, 
because he was for rebaptising such as had not been baptised 
in the Name of the Father, Son and Holt Ghost; (for 
this we find established by the Council of Nice; Canon 19, 
on which see the Annotations of Bishop Beveridge;) but 
because he was for rebaptising all such as had been baptised 
by any heretics or schismatics whatever." — Reeves. Neither 
Agrippinus in the first place, nor Vincent, had any reference 
to the case of heretics or schismatics pretending to a minis- 
terial commission without having received it through the epis- 
copal succession ; no such case having ever arisen, at that 
time. 

Note P. (Page 15.) 
" As we have already seen that ' apostolic see' was not a 
title appropriate, [i. e. peculiarly belonging] to the Church 
of Rome ; so neither was that of Pope proper to the bishop 
of Rome only, but an appellative common to all bishops. — 
For St. Jerome writing to St. Austin, inscribes, * To the most 
honorable Pope.' And yet St. Austin was bishop only of 
little Hippo. Whoever has a mind to see more inscriptions 
of the kind to other bishops, may be plentifully furnished 
from the learned Forbes, in his Instructiones Historico-theo- 
logicae, Lib. xvi. c. i. p. 707." — Reeves. 

Note Q. (Page 15.) 
" Bishops originally were co-ordinate, as the Apostles 
were, and consequently independent in their several districts, 



NOTES. 115 

though they afterwards subjected themselves to a metropoli- 
tan of their own choosing, for the better regulation of the 
catholic Body; for which reason St. Cyprian tells Pope Ste- 
phen, that he left eveiy bishop to the full government of his 
own diocese, ' preserving the bond of peace and concord 
among colleagues,' (salvo inter collegas pacis ac concordire 
vinculo;) that he offered not to impose anything upon the 
bishops he called to the Council of Carthage, by way of 
authority over them, ' nor did any one presume to constitute 
himself a bishop of bishops;' (nee enim quisquam nostrum 
episcopum se episcoporum constituit.) Epist.72. And who- 
ever observes the freedom Firmilian took with the Pope upon 
this occasion, and how Cyprian taxed him with pride and ob- 
stinacy, and for * a defender of the cause of heretics, and that 
too against Christians and the very Church of God,' (Episi. 
ad Pomp. 74,) may believe anything, if he can believe that 
they took the Pope for such a man as the Papists take him 
for nowadays." — Reeves. 

Note R. (Page 15.) 

The "authority of place" (loci auctoritas) in which Ste- 
phen " excelled" (superabat) his colleagues, according to 
Vincent, was that of filling the one only Apostolic see of the 
West, to which as " near to it," the African bishops natur- 
ally looked for the preservation of an incorrupt tradition of 
the apostolic doctrine and discipline; (Tertull. de Prsescript. 
c. 36, above, in Note M.) and which, too, was distinguished 
among all other apostolic sees, (1) as having been the see, and 
the place of martyrdom, of the two great apostles, Peter 
and Paul, (Tertull. ubi supra, where see Dr. Pusey's note, 
tr. p. 470 ;) and (2) as being the capital of the world. — 
10** 



116 NOTES. 

How much weight this last circumstance had in procuring 
for the see of Rome priority of place, appears from the ac- 
tion of the Second and Fourth CEcumenical Councils ; the first 
raising the new see of Constantinople to a place next after 
Rome, because it was the second capital of the Empire — 
" New Rome ;" the other advancing it still higher, even to an 
equality, because by that time the new capital had supf^eded 
" old Rome" in rank and authority in the Empire. 

Note S. (Page 16.) 

" The ' African Council' here spoken of, consisting of so 
many, and such able heads in defence of rebaptization [of 
schismatics as well as heretics,] was the Synod of Carthage, 
held under St Cyprian in the year 256, according to Du Pin, 
but according to Bishop Beveridge in 258. There were 
eighty-seven bishops in the Council, which opened with the 
reading of the letters of Jubaianus to Cyprian, and with those 
of Cyprian to him. After which, St. Cyprian proposed it to 
all the bishops to deliver their opinions freely ; but yet not so 
as to condemn others, who were of a different judgment in 
this matter; [i. e- Stephen, bishop of Rome, whose renun- 
ciation of the communion of the African bishops on that ac- 
count, had occasioned the calling of the Council ;] forasmuch 
as none here presumed to make himself a bishop of bishops ; 
because in such cases every bishop in his own diocese is to do 
as he thinks best, and was to give an account to Christ only, 
by whose authority alone he was set over the Church. After 
which proposal the bishops gave their opinion freely, and all 
unanimously concluded in favor of Cyprian." — Reeves. 

It is observable that almost every sentence of St. Cyprian's 
address at the opening of this Council implied a censure on 



IVOTES. 117 

the previous conduct of the bishop of Rome, on the ground of 
his unwarrantable assunaption to decide a question of discip- 
line for his brother bishops and to juds^e them ; and yet this 
very address is commended by St. Austin, in a set refutation 
of St. Cyprian's views, as *' overflowing with the milk of 
charity." (Aug. de Bapt. c. Don. c. vi.) So here, Vincent, 
condemning the doctrine of the Council, and strongly assert- 
ing the falsity of its position, has not a word to say against 
its contradiction of the bishop of Rome, as suck. Neither 
he, nor St. Austin viewed the conduct of the Council and its 
president St. Cyprian, in the light in which the more recent 
" novelty" of the Papal supremacy would set it. 

Note T. (Page 16.) 

" To make good our author's acquittal of the African 
Council, and the condemnation of their disciples, the Dona- 
tists, for the same error ; it will be needful to observe only, 
that the Cyprianic party, though they warmly defended their 
error, yet they tempered their zeal with such a spirit of hu- 
mility and submission, as never to impose it upon others as an 
article of Church communion ; or to make the least separa- 
tion from the Catholic body upon the account of this differ- 
ence of opinion: whereas the Donatists, who boasted St. 
Cyprian's authority for their practice of rebaptization, made 
a long and terrible schism in the Church ; and not only re- 
baptized heretics, but even Catholics themselves. For which 
reason St. Austin declares, that * to rebaptize heretics, was a 
human error; but to rebaptize Catholics,' (as the Donatists 
did, and our Anabaptists do,) 'was a most diabolical pre- 
sumption.' Lib. de unico Bapt. c 121." — Reeves. 



118 



Note U. (Page 21.) 



It is remarkable how Vincent goes even out of his way to 
include St. Peter among those who might have become ac- 
cursed by bringing in another Gospel. Such a supposition, 
on the modern Romish interpretation of the Saviour's pro- 
mise, Matth. xvi. 18, would be a strange absurdity. 

Note V. (Page 23.) 

" That which the Catholic Church preaches everyiohere"^ 
— usquequaque evangelizat — could hardly have been worded 
more precisely to exclude the " novelty" of a " holy catholic 
and apostolic ijoman. Church, the mother and mistress" of all 
churches, which the Bull of Pius IV. would make it necessary 
to salvation to receive. 

NoteW. (Page 24.) 

The recent unblushing avowel of the Doctrine of "Develop- 
ments in Christianity," by neologizing Romanists in Germany, 
and their converts in England and this country, renders this 
strong saying peculiarly noteworthy. 

If it is " a duty to anathematize those who preach anything 
beside what has been once received," (aliquid prceterquam 
quod semel acceptum est,) surely they must be worthy of all 
anathemas who dare to maintain that '' gaps occur in the 
structure of the original creed of the Church, which devel- 
opments growing out of the truths which lie around them, 
were intended to complete." (Newman, Essay on the De- 
velopment of Christian Doctrine, p. 52, Am. ed.) It is an 
old sin of Rome, that she will rather open the door to infidel- 
ity, than forego her pretensions to infallibility. Never was 



NOTES. 119 

the door more widely opened, than by this wild attempt to 
build the infallible authority of the present Church and the 
bishop of Rome as its prolocutor, upon the assumed subjeC' 
tivity of revelation, and incompleteness of its pristine form. 
The contrary assumption, of the objectivity of revelation, and 
completeness of its form, as ' once delivered to the saints' and 
held and handed down by the Church, lies at the basis of Vin- 
cent's treatise. Increase, with him, is change; and change 
is an accursed crime. Setting- out with the acknowledgment 
of a perfect rule of faith and life in the Holy Scriptures, he 
maintains the invariable oneness of its sense ; and finds that 
sense in the unvaried teaching of the Church, which has held 
always and every where the same truths undiminished and 
unaugmented, accessible alike to all, necessary alike for all, 
and at all times equally put forth as incapable of curtailment 
or development. 

Note X. (Page 28.) 

The strength of this temptation has been sorely felt of late 
by many members of the Catholic Church in England and 
America; and several, though fewer than might have been 
feared, have succumbed to it. Every sentence of this chap- 
ter bears against the Romanists. Their vaunting claim of 
miracles, too often palpably supposititious, but which, if true, 
would be of no avail in behalf of the idolatrous corruptions 
in worship, which they are brought to support; their nauseat- 
ing repetitions of exulting appeals to the holiness, learning, 
and intellectual vigor of some of their late converts ; and the 
silly stress laid by some among those converts on fancied re- 
velations made to them in dreams ; all savour of the arts and 



delusions of the novelty-mongers whom it is Vincent's ob- 
ject to expose. 

Note Y. (Page 38. ) 

" For the similitude of soul and body making one person, 
though it is very apt and significative, (for which and for some 
other like expressions, Vincentius has passed for the author of 
the creed commonly called Athanasian,*) yet this, I say, is in 
many things lame and deficient : for soul and body are in- 
complete, imperfect natures, concurring to the existence of a 
person that never did exist before; whereas in Christ both 
natures are complete and perfect, concurring (if I may so 
speak) to make up one Person, who had a subsistence before 
from all eternity, though not after the same manner as when 
the Word was made flesh.*' — Reeves. Compare Hooker, 
Eccles. Polity, Book v. sect. 52. 

Note Z. (Page 45.) 

It is inconceivable that one holding the views now current 
in the Romish communion should have contented himself, on 
such an occasion, with this very cautious and cool expres- 
sion. The "deification of the Blessed Virgin" was very evi- 
dently a "novelty" utterly unknown to Vincent. He had been 
trained, with Epiphanius, to make a broad distinction be- 
tween the "especial glory" of "the mother of God," and the 
worship of a deified woman. ' H Mapta ev Tinij, b Kvpios 
irpoaKVvciff^ct). 'Ev Tifirj e^u Mapia, b SeYlarrip, Kat 'Yids, xai 
Siyiov TLvevna, npocKWCicr^iO. Tfjv M.apiav iitjSels itpoaKweirui, 



* So Antelmi and others. See Waterland's Diss, on the Atha- 
nasian creed. Works, vol. iv. ; especially p. 140, ss. 



NOTES. 121 

Et KaWisij '^ ^lapta, kui ayia. koi T£TijiJ]^ivr], dXX' dvK its to 
irpoGKVvtia^ai. Let Mary be had in honor, but let the LoRB 
be worshipped. Let Mary be in honor, but let the Father, 
and the Sun, and tlie Holy Ghost, be worshipped. Mary 
let no one worship. Though Mary be most beautiful, and 
holy, and honored, yet not to the degree to be worshipped. 
Epiphan. de Collyrid. Haer. 79. 

Note AA. (Page 58 ) 

The caution with which Vincent frames his expressions, 
here and elsewhere, so as to include developments among the 
"novelties" to be rejected, is well worthy of remark. Mr. 
Newman has thought it important to observe that " the com- 
mon complaint of Protestants against the Church of Rome is, 
not simply that she has added to the primitive or the Scrip- 
tural doctrine, but that she contradicts it^ (Essay on 
Development, p. 50, Am. ed. ) If this were strictly true ; 
(which it is not, being true only in a certain sense;) it would 
be a truly Catholic ground of objection to the Romish innova- 
tions that they are superadditions to "the faith once deliver- 
ed" entire and incapable of change by increase; in asserting 
which the authors and maintainers, if not " contra omnes," 
yet certainly ^^ prceter omnes sanctos nova et inaudita subin- 
ducunt." 

Note BB. (Page 6L) 
Thus our author excludes the fundamental postulate of Mr. 
Newman's Theory of Development, viz: that '' Christianity 
differs from other religions and philosophies, — not in kind, 
but in origin ; not in its nature, but in its personal charac- 
teristics;" — that ^'it is externally what the Apostle calls an 
'earthly vessel,'' being the religion of men; and considered 



122 NOTES. 

as such, it grows in wisdom and stature." CEssay, &c., p. 
49, 50, Am.ed.) Its different oHgin, says Vincent, makes it 
different in kind; because it is "from heaven" it is "enouj^h 
to have it once for all revealed ;" because it is " from heaven," 
it is "not an earthly system, to be brought to perfection" by 
human assiduity ; because it is " from heaven," it is "the 
doctrine" " once for all revealed," and cannot " grow." 

Note CC. (Page 62.) 

Here, as elsewhere, both before and after, Vincent follows 
the various reading represented by both the oldltala and the 
Vulgate Latin versions — o( Kaivo(poivias for Kcvocpoivias, 'new 
expressions' for ' vain expressions — vain babblings/ as in the 
authorised version. The Armenian and Ethiopia versions, 
Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom and (Ecumenius among the 
Greeks, and the old version of Irenaeus, Tertullian, Lucifer 
and Ambrosiaster among the Latins, have the same reading. 
Its authority from manuscripts is small. The sense of the 
apostle is little affected by the various reading; Vincent's 
argument very slightly. 

Note DD. (Page 64.) 

" Timothy" says Vincent, is either the whole Church, or the 
whole body of teachers in the Church. The Church, then, 
according to him, is to " hold fast" that which she has receiv- 
ed, not that which she has thought out for herself. Direct- 
ly in opposition to this view Mr. Newman considers the fiction 
of Purgatory as a legitimate " development" of Christian 
truth, because it is " the mind of the Church working out 
[thinking out for herself, sc] organic truths from implicit 



NOTES. 123 

feelings under secret supernatural guidance." (Essay, &c., 
p. 192, Am. ed.) 

Note EE. (Page 66. J 

There is between this passage and one quoted from Mr. 
Newman, in Note BB., a strong resemblance in words, but a 
great ditference in meaning. Both speak of groicth: but 
Vincent of the growth of the Church, i. e. the men who 
make up the Church ; Mr. Newman of the growth of religion, 
i. e. the faith of the Church. The *' growth" of Vincent is 
that ripeness and perfectness of knowledge, appi'ehension and 
practice, of one and the same body of truth, which one man 
may attain to more than another man, one age more than an- 
other age. The '' growth" of Mr. Newman is a change in the 
body of truth itself, by which more becomes attainable by one 
man or by one age than by another man or another age, more 
is consequently requisite to salvation in one age than in a pre- 
ceding age, more is true for us than for those to whom the 
truth was first made known. The truth may be more true 
for us than for our fathers, more plainly so, with more of its 
circumstances and corollaries : — that is Vincent's notion of 
" progress." More truth is true for us than for them ; is 
Mr. Newman's of "Development." " The progress of reli- 
gion in the Church," afSrmed by Vincent, is a development of 
the conscious apprehension of ' the doctrine' received and held 
from the beginning; its "consolidation" into a system, "dila- 
tation" into a body of practical theology; " sublimation" into 
lofty devotion; but it is no "progress'' of doctrine itself 
from uncertainty to certainty, from obscurity to clearness, 
from incompleteness to completion, from irregularity to regu- 
larity, from heretical pravity to orthodoxy. (Newman's Es- 



124 NOTES. 

say, &c., p. 165, s. where Montanism, is instanced as "a re- 
markable anticipation or i)re?age" of subsequent develop- 
ments in the Church !) 

Note FF. (Page 68.) 

" Can admit nothing more in the way of change, can suffer 
— no variation in its definition." As if it were to show 
the contrariety of his own ' Theory of Development' with the 
Vincentian rule, Mr. Newman has thought proper to speak of 
the great heresyof the Roman communion as follows: "There 
was in the first ages no public and ecclesiastical recognition 
of the place which [according to the modern Romish notions] 
St. Mary holds in the Economy of grace; [which was, there- 
fore, "something more admitted in the way of change;"] this 
was reserved for the fifth century, as the definition of our 
Lord's proper divinity had been the work of the fourth." 
{Essay, t^-c, p. 188, Am. ed.) The assertion concerning 
our Lord's divinity is untrue, and has been abundantly dis- 
proved : the assertion concerning the supposed ' place of St. 
Mary in the economy of grace' is, in terms, what Vincent 
holds to be a mark of heretical novelty as opposed to catholic 
verily — that it is "a variation in the definition" of the doc- 
trine of the Church. 

Note GG. (Page 69.) 

As, for instance, when the prayers of the early Church for 
the holy dead. Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, that their 
felicity may be increased, and its consummation hastened, are 
claimed as having been ** developed" into prayer for those 
who die in a state of sin, that their purgatorial torments may 
be lessened, and they transferred from a state of penal anguish 



NOTES. 125 

to one of rest and blessedness. The whole second volume 
of that excellent collection, Brogden's Catholic Safeguards, 
(London, Murray, 1846,) is occupied with exposures of the 
Romish changes of Catholic "rose-plants" into Tridentine 
'' thistles and thorns," from the pens of Andrews, Hall, Laud 
Usher, Taylor, Cosin, Bull, HicUes and Stillingfleet. Com- 
pare, too, the summary of such corruptions drawn up by Bar- 
row, on the Pope's Supremacy; (p. 413 to 428 ed. 4to; or 
in Brogdeh, C. S., I. 170, ss.) 

Note HH. (Page 69.) 

" The doctrines of heavenly philosophy." This well chosen 
expression — prisca ilia coelestis philosophire dogmata — well 
exhibits the irreconcilable opposition between the position 
of Vincent and that assumed by modern theorists on devel- 
opment. Mr. Newman expressly distinguishes between the 
"principles" (philosophia)* and the "belief" (dogmata) of 
the Church ; and maintains that while the former remain 
"the same," there maybe "variations" in the latter 'between 
the earlier and later Church,' (Essay, p. 172, Am. ed ;) 
affirming that the principles were " later in development than 
the doctrines, as lying deeper in the mind, and as being its 
assumptions rather than its objective professions." (Essay, 
p. 173 ) Vincent knows nothing of "assumptions" lying 
"deep in the mind" of the Church, i. e. having a subjective 
existence and verity. He bids his true Catholic be concern- 
ed only w^ith " the doctrines" — "the objective professions," 
which the early (prisca) Church having received in "fulness, 
integrity, and with all their characteristic properties," the 

* Essay, &c., p. 23, bot., 173, No. 6. 
11 



later Church must of necessity so retain, (retineant necesse 
est plenitudinem, integritatem, proprietatem.) 

Note II. (Page 70.) 

" A. C. [Fisher, the Jesuit,] tells us further, ' That if one 
may deny or doubtfully dispute against any one determina- 
tion of the Church, then he may against another, and an- 
other, and so against all.' First, A. C. might have 

acknowledged that he borrowed . . this out of Vincentius 
Lirinensis. And as that learned father uses it, I subscribe to 
it, but not as A. C applies it: for Vincentius speaks these 
de catholico dogmate, of catholic maxims ; and A. C. will 
force it to every determination of the Church. Now catholic 
maxims, which are properly fundamental, are certain prime 
truths deposited with the Church, and not so much deter- 
mined by the Church, as published and manifested, and so 
made firm by her to us. For so Vincentius expressly. ('$32.) 
Where all that the Church doth is butM^ hoc idem quod antea, 
that the same thing may be believed which was before be- 
lieved, but with more light and clearness, and (in that sense) 
with more firmness than before. Now in this sense give way 
to a dispufator errans, every cavilling disputer, to deny or 
quarrel at the maxims of Christian religion, any one, or any 
part of any one of them ; and why may he not then take 
liberty to do the like of any other, till he have shaken all ? 
But this hinders not the Church herself, nor any appointed 
by the Church, to examine her own decrees and to see that 
she keep dogmata defosila, the princij)les of faith un- 
blemished and uncorrupted. For if she do not so, but that 
novitia veteribus, new doctrines be added to the old, the 
Church, which is sacrarium veritatis, the repository of veri- 



NOTES. 127 

ty, may be changed in lupanar errorum, (I am loath to En- 
glish it.) By the Church then this may, nay, it ought to be 
done; however, every wrangling disputer may neither deny, 
nor doubtfully dispute, much less obstinately oppose the de- 
terminations of the Church, no, not where they are not dog- 
mata deposita, these deposited principles." Laud's Con- 
ference with Fisher, p. 31, ed. Oxf., 1839. 

NoteKK. (Page 70.) 

How accurate is this description of the growth of the mass 
of error which deforms the profession and practice of so 
large a portion of the Church, both in the East and in the 
West ! Little by little, age after age, have " new things" 
been "mixed with the old," until evil "custom" had at one 
time "crept on throughout the whole," so that almost "no- 
thing in the Church" was " left untouched" by superstitious 
abuse, "nothing undefiled" by idolatrous addition; those 
particular churches, of Rome, and Antioch, and Jerusalem, 
which " before had been sanctuaries of chaste and uncor- 
rupted truth," becoming thenceforth, in too lamentable a de- 
gree, " repositories of impious and disgraceful errors." The 
hypothetical anticipation of this state of things by Vincent 
is certainly more bold and obnoxious to the silly clamours so 
often raised by Romanists against the admissions of Catho- 
lic writers that corruptions may prevail in the Church, 
(though never against her,) than any historical assertion 
of the facts after their occurrence can be considered. Vin- 
cent here frankly exposes his fears of what might occur in 
a case, which by the entertainment of the fears, he acknow- 
ledges as possible. In the next paragraph he goes on to 
state, as his ground of hope that the dreaded contingency 
will not take place, the course until his day steadily and sue- 



128 NOTES. 

cessfully pursued. Had that course been pursued with con- 
sistent perseverance in the three generations that followed 
that in which Vincent wrote, much that has since " devel- 
oped" into Romanism would have been extirpated in the 
germ. 

Note LL. (Page7L) 

"Quod prius a majoribus sola traditione susceperat, hoc 
deinde posteris etiam per Scripturae chiro graphum con- 
signaret." By traditio here, I understand the stream of 
teaching in the Church, whether written or unwritten, not 
yet reduced to formulary; by scripturae chiro graphum, a 
formulary of faith, a written expression of truth in set words 
and phrases. So do Reeves and the translation published at 
Oxford in 1837. " To decide some old traditionary customs 
only, and to commit the sum and substance of 'em in writ- 
ing" — Reeves. " To confirm that to posterity by writing, 
which before by tradition alone she had received of her fore- 
fathers." On this understanding there is no contrast or op- 
position, expressed or implied, between unioritten tradition 
and the written word of God : the stream of teaching in 
the Church being always understood by Vincent to be the truth 
as it is taught in Scripture , and the scripturae chirogra- 
phum being only the set formulary adopted as the standard 
o( expression of that truthm the stream of teaching for the 
future. 

But Archbishop Laud (Conf. with Fisher, p. 32, Oxf.) 
understanding the traditio of Vincent in the same sense, 
considers him to mean by scripturae chirographum the text 
of Scripture; so that he takes our author to have asserted of 
the Councils that they "determined as the sense of the 



NOTES. 129 

Church, and made firm to us by the handwriting of the 
Scripture^'' such points of the doctrine as had previously 
only been taught, whether orally or in writing by doctors of 
the Church upon their individual authority as receivers of the 
same, and interpreters of Scripture. The passage seems to 
be susceptible of this meaning ; but I do not believe it to have 
been intended by the writer. 

Note MM. (Page 72.) 

" We see here not the least shadow of any pretence, in the 
time of Vincent, to a power of decreeing new articles of faith, 
or of any obligation to believe such articles when decreed, 
though by a General Council, much less by the bishop of 
Rome only. The power here pretended to, is a power only 
of setting the old faith in a clearer light, of guarding and 
fencing it about with such terms and expressions as are more 
fully declarative of the sense of the ancient Catholic Church, 
and less liable to the sophistry and evasion of heretics. The 
new term here alluded to seems to be to hfioiaiov, or the 

word consubstantial in the Nicene Creed Yet it 

is very evident even from the mouth of Eusebius,* that as 
the doctrine was orthodox and primitive, so the term also 
was in use amongst some very ancient and celebrated writers 

• In Socrates Hist. Eccles. Lib. I. c. viii. (f. 176 rect. ed. 
Stephan.) IiteX koX tcov naXaiSv rivasXayius Koi tiri(l)aveis tiria- 
K6irys Koi avyypacpeas tyvo^tv Im rrjs TSJlarpos koX 'Yi3 ■&£oA- 
oyi'of, rw rs h^oyciH avy^priaanevas dvSjiaTt. 'Forasmuch 
as we know that some learned and illustrious bishops and 
writers of old, explaining the Divinity of the Father and the 
Son, have made use of this term buoaatoe.* 
11* 



130 NOTES. 

of the Catholic Church ; and therefore by the nova appella- 
tionis proprietate (new peculiarity of expression) Vincent 
does not understand a word purely and entirely neio, but 
either a word not to be met with in Holy Scripture, or seldom 
used by the ancient fathers, and which the Church had au- 
thority to establish for the better explanation and security of 
the old faith." — Reeves. 

Note NN. (Page 74.) 

A distinction is to be made, between the outbreaking of a 
heresy, as such, and the introduction of a corruption or 
novelty in doctrine or practice. The latter may be, and is 
likely to be, stealthy and obscure ; the former must be, in a 
degree, open and notorious. A novelty or corruption must 
be negatively traceable up to a certain time, before which it 
is not to be found ; and may, or may not be, susceptible of 
connexion with a certain place or person. With a person or 
persons, a heresy, as such, must be known to originate. Had 
Cyprian maintained his doctrine of rebaptization as essential 
to faith and communion, he would thereby have made him- 
self a heretic ; and that which Vincent has alleged as an ex- 
ample of novelty without pravity, condemned as a novelty 
and thereupon dying out, would have become a heresy, of 
which the fautorers might or might not have borne their 
leader's name, but would have shared his guilt and con- 
demnation. 

Viewed in this light, it is hard to clear the Decrees of the 
Council of Trent, and the Creed of Pope Pius IV, of the 
stain of heresy. The Council, falsely pretending to the cha- 
racter of oecumenical and free, sanctioned under anathema 
many novelties which, as such, had been innocently held, in 



NOTES. 131 

ignorance, by holy and great men in the ages before it. The 
Creed, in direct contravention of the previous decrees of 
Ephesus and Chalcedon, propounds the same and other 
novelties, as necessary terms of communion, under pretence 
of ejecting from the Church CathoHc such as should refuse 
to acknowledge them as fundamentals of faith. Had a judg- 
ment of the Church been obtainable on such procedures, they 
could not be saved from condemnation as heretical. If not 
formally so now, it is because they are as yet untried by com- 
petent jurisdiction; and therefore uncondemned. 

The observation of Reeves on this passage of Vincent is 
therefore pertinent. " This," says he, *' is what Tertullian 
insists on, when he says that the substance is before the 
shadow, and the truth before the counterfeit. The argument 
is this: All necessary doctrines were taught by the apostles, 
and professed by the apostolic churches ; but such a doctrine 
was unknown to the apostolic churches, or contrary to what 
they professed ; therefore, such a doctrine is either unneces- 
sai-y or false ; and I doubt not but the present corruptions of 
Rome might be traced up this way, as well as the following 
heresies," viz, those described by Vincent in this and the 
following chapters. 

Note 00. (Page 82.) 

" Here we have a very lively description of the way that 
heretics and schismatics of old took to seduce weak and 
credulous people from the Catholic communion. * Do but 
come' say they, ' and hear our teachers, and try a while in 
our meetings, and I will pass you'll never go to Church 
again ; there's such edification, the like was never seen ; the 
Holt Ghost has taken up His abode in our congregation. 



132 NOTES. 

and all His wonderful gifts and graces are personal and 
plainly appropriated to our party, insomuch that all of our 
way and communion, without any pains or study, nay, with- 
out so much as praying, are all taught of God, and moved by 
the Spirit, and so protected by their guardian angels, that 
nothing shall offend or hurt the elect.' To this description 
of Vincent, I shall add the account of some others. The 
Gnostics, the wickedest and worst of heretics, railed against 
the Catholics as 'idiots,' 'knowing nothing,' 'carnal' and 
'worldly-minded men,' styling themselves 'the spiritual,^ 
' the perfect,^ and ' the seeds of election :' (Irenseus, Lib. I. 
c. i.) Thus did the Priscillianists, likewise their disciples 
and followers ; (Hieron. Epist. ad Ctesiphont.) And thus 
did the Family of Love in the last age. The vilest sect of 
the Manicheans called themselves the Catharists, or ' the 
Pure'^ (Ecbert. Serm. I. adv. Cath. in Bibl. Patr. Tom. iv. 
Part 2. col. 82. ed.4.) The Montanists also gave themselves 
the title of ' SpirUual,^ and ' the clean,' and the Catholics 
the name of Psyckici, or 'animal.' (Hieron. in Ep. ad. 
Tit. cap. 1.) The Donatists boasted of 'perfect righteous- 
ness ;' (Optat. Milev. lib. 2 contra Parm. ; August, lib. 2 
contra Parm., Ep. c. 7, 8, 9, 10.) 'Noli me tangere, quia 
mundus sum' says a Novatian schismatic, (Ambros. lib. de 
Poenit. c. 7.) ' Touch me not, for I am clean.' " — Reeves. 

NoTK PP. (Page 84.) 

It is a favorite objection to this rule of Vincent, that it is 
incapable of application by those who need it, to wit, the 
multitude, the individuals who are liable to be misled by the 
false pretensions of heretical innovators. Some who ought 
to know better, have been content to dwell on this miserable 



NOTES. 133 

fallacy. It is sufficiently answered in the following passage 
from Dr. Le Courayer's Defence of his Translation of the 
History of the Council of Trent, originally addressed to Ul- 
tramontanePapists, but equally applicable, mutatis mutandis, 
to Protestants who are willing to resort to the same subter- 
fuges. 

" If they say that this way is impracticable for the people, 
I must frankly acknowledge that the people can hardly come 
to a decision for itself in such questions. But the people 
ought to do, and does, in matters of religion what it does in 
all other matters. What seems to it evident, it believes on 
its own judgment. What is above its reach, or cannot be 
known without a certain degree of research, it judges of on 
the report of those who have gained its confidence; that is 
the only infallibility which is practically followed. For to 
imagine that the simple multitude believe on the motive of the 
infallibility of the Church, is to imagine something utterly 
destitute of proof and contrary to experience. Without any 
notion of such infallibility, the people of every other com- 
munion receives the doctrine of that communion with the same 
deference: and the simple ones of the Roman communion 
have no better means of satisfying themselves as to the infal- 
libility of their Church, than as to any other point of doctrine 
which may be offered for their belief. They receive that arti- 
cle in the only way they can, upon the word of their pastors; 
[in the exercise oi private judgment, he might have added;] 
and if they receive that article upon that basis alone, why 
may they not receive equally every other ? The difference of 
the situation of the simple ones among the [Roman] Catho- 
lics from that of those of every other communion, is only as 
between less and more ; and the foundation of the faith of 



134 NOTES. 

such is everywhere the same. For if the people in one com- 
munion is capable of passing- judgment whether the Church 
is infallible or no, it is unjust to suppose it incapable of judg- 
ing on all the other points: and if it is not capable of con- 
vincing itself of that infallibility, it is useless to make such 
incapacity with relation to other articles, a ground of objec- 
tion to the orthodoxy of other communions, since everywhere 
the common people believe on the same principle, that is 
to say, on the authority of their pastors, although among the 
[Roman] Catholics, they are flattered with the notion that 
they believe by virtue of the infallibility of the Church, among 
Protestants by their own intelligence. The one is no more 
true than the other : the simple ones in the Roman Church 
know nothing of the infallibility of the Church but what their 
pastors tell them, and among Protestants the intelligence of 
the people is certainly always subordinate to that of their min- 
isters. The one party differs from the other only in its way of 
talking; their conduct is just alike; and the acquiescence of the 
people in the doctrine propounded to it, is the infallible result 
of its deference for its pastors, which in the one party is 
masked under the name of obedience to the Church, in the 
other, under that of submission only to its own intelligence." 
(Le Courayer, Defence, &c., p. 164, s.) 

Note QQ. (Page 85.) 

This judicious remark at once explains and justifies the 
course adopted by the leaders in the Reformation. Having 
to do with corruptions, which, from having once been 'novel- 
ties,' had become old, and acquired a controlling influence 
over opinion, and mingled themselves with the very fountains 
of information, it was needful to lay aside for a time the ap- 



NOTES. 135 

peal to antiquity aud authority, and as advised by Vincent, 
to resort mainly to the paramount authority of Holy Scrip- 
ture. The ' volumes of the ancients' had been most exten- 
sively 'corrupted.' Ages of patient research were necessary, 
to sift the true from the false, and prepare for a decision 
when and how the corruptions, which the text of Scripture 
alone sufficed to brand as such, had sprung into being. " But 
since" says Reeves, "by the endeavors of learned men, both 
of our adversaries, and amongst ourselves, we have found 
out which are the undoubted works of the fathers, which 
doubtful, and which undoubtedly spurious; both our fore- 
fathers and we most willingly admit of a trial by the an- 
cients. The Church of Rome has had all the opportunities 
of time, place and power, to establish the kingdom of dark- 
ness, and that in coining, clipping and washing the primitive 
records to their own good liking, they have not been wanting 
to themselves, is notoriously evident: for ecclesiastical anti- 
quity, as we have it in the Roman editions of the Councils, 
and in some modern historians of that communion, is placed 
in so false a light, that it must be a very discerning eye that 
can distinguish the truth. They have taken up Marcion's 
way of correcting with a knife instead of a stile; they have 
cut out, and put in, altered and adulterated so much ; in a 
word, they have made such a strange medley of Church his- 
tory, of that especially "in the first four centuries, that one 
might say without a figure, that well nigh two parts in three, 
both in Baronius' and in the [earlier Romish editions of the] 
Councils, are modern forgeries, notorious legends, and idle 
glosses in vindication of the doctrines and practices of the 
present Church of Rome." This is harshly expressed, but 
true: and although, since Reeves wrote, learned, intelligent 
and candid members of the Romish communion have done 



136 K0TE9. 

much to retrieve Its character, and contributed their full 
share to the restoration of ecclesiastical antiquity, there seems 
of late, to be a disposition to relapse into the old patronage 
of forgeries and falsifications. Witness Dr. Wiseman's mode 
of defending the worship of the Virgin against Mr. Palmer, 
and the shameless attack upon the latter by one of Dr. Wise- 
man's converts, in which writings rejected as spurious by in- 
telHgent Romanists themselves, are unblushingly used, and 
facts of history admitted and proved beyond contest by such 
men as Combefis and Fleury, impudently contested or de- 
nied, as suits the purpose of the writer. (The Character of 
the Rev. W. Palmer as a Controversialist, &c., repinnted * at 
the Metropolitan Press' in Baltimore, 1844!) 

Note RR. (Page 86.; 

Daille in his Treatise of the Use of the Fathers, " has 
thought good to divert himself for above seven long pages," 
by an endeavour to expose to ridicule the caution and limita- 
tions with which Vincent here desires the opinions of the 
, fathers to be received. Bishop Stillingfleet, in his Vindica- 
tion of Archbishop Laud, having attached more weight to 
Daille's objections than they justly claim, Reeves answers 
them at some length. It is hardly needful to transcribe his 
remarks. They are to the effect, that Vincent must receive 
a fair and liberal interpretation, without straining each word 
to its utmost meaning, or taking in the sense of positive re- 
quirement, what was meant to be negatively applied to the 
rejection of manifestly unholy, unwise and heretical wit- 
nesses on the subject of Catholic doctrine. 



rroTEs. 137 

Note SS. (Page 87.) 

" In this passage our author is charged by his enemies for 
girding at St. Austin ; and our learned Bishop Taylor is of 
opinion that by his ubiqne, semper et ah omnibus, he de- 
signed to reprove that father: for these are his words: 'For 
although it is very probable that Vincentius by this lule, in- 
tended to reprove the novelties and unusual doctrines which 
St. Austin by his great wit and great reputation had brought 
into the Church, contrary to the sentiments and doct.rines of 
the fathers which were before him ; yet it will perfectly serve 
to reprove all our late pretensions to traditions.' (Duct. Du- 
bitant. Lib. 2. ch. 3. p. 375.) Now a man must have good 
eyes to see a single person particularly aimed at in a general 
rule; and if St. Austin was guilty of some innovations, Vin- 
cent is highly to be commended for reproving (if he has done 
it) so good a man in so gentle a way. Nor is our author 
more particular or severe in his foregoing reflection; \_sc. 
that in the text;] and if the ^ Episcopus'' must be St. Austin, 
he is treated like a bishop, and St. Austin's friends must have 
a great mind to be angry, if that passage can anger them. 
But I am verily persuaded that Vincent did not then think 
of St. Austin, but of Tertullian, from whom he borrowed it : 
for thus he : ' Quid ergo, si episcopus, si diaconus, si vidua, 
si virgo, .si etiam martyr lapsus a regula fuerit, ideo hsereses 
veritatem videbuntur obtinere ? Ex personis probamus fidem, 
an ex fide personas?' (De Prsescr. c. 3.) ' Why then, if a 
bishop, if a deacon, if a widow, if a virgin, if a doctor, if even 
a martyr shall have fallen from the right rule, shall heresies 
on that account be thought to have truth on their side? Do 
we test the creed by the persons, or the persons by the 
creed? (Oxf. trans, p. 437.)" — Reeves. 



138 NOTES. 

Note TT. (Page 95.) 

This expression is worthy of note, as illustrating the kind 
of pre-eminence of the Roman Church in Vincent's day. 
The headship here in question is clearly civil and geogra- 
phical. 

Note UU. (Page 97.) 

The letter of Capreolus containing many sound and valua- 
ble remarks is found in the Cone. Ephesin. Part. II. Act. 
1. (Cone. Rom. Tom. I. p. 364. ss.) "Qui ilia perpetuam 
stabilitatem retinere voluerit quae de catholicje Fidei ra- 
tione statuerit, is non propria auctoritate, sed antiquorum 
patrum judicio sentenliam suam corroborare debet ; ita ut ea 
ratione partim veterum, partim recentiorum decretis et sen- 
tentiis placita sua comprobans, unicam Ecclesice veriiatem, 
jam inde ab initio ad prcesens usque iempus simplici puri- 
tate, invictaque constantia et auctoritate decurrentem, se 
asserere, docere et tenere ostendat." "Whoever wishes what 
he may determine on the subject of the Catholic Faith to re- 
tain perpetual stability, he must corroborate his decision not 
by his own authority but by the judgment of the ancient 
fathers ; that so proving his positions by the decisions and 
opinions, partly of the ancients and partly of the more modern 
teachers, he may show that he holds, asserts and teaches 
the only truth of the Church, which with unbroken con- 
stancy and authority has flowed down in simple purity from 
the very beginning down to the present time." This prin- 
ciple, so heartily adopted by the fathers of the Council, as 
cited in the very words of the Acts by Vincent, is utterly de- 
Btructive of the theory of development. Capreolus and the 



NOTES. 139 

Council knew but one form of truth, held, maintained and 
taught entire from the beginning. 

Note VV. (Page 99.) 

What Vincent means by " authority from the Apostolic 
See," has been already shown in Notes M. and R., which 
see. Reeves translates him here as " authority from an apos- 
tolic see;" and both the language and sense of the original 
bear the rendering: but the author, no doubt, writing in our 
language, would have availed himself of the definite article ; 
meaning that one of the sees of the Catholic Church distin- 
guished from the rest by having been founded by apostles, 
which alone in the West possesses that distinction. Rome, 
as regards the Church Catholic, is " an apostolic see :" but 
as regards the West, and one writing in the West, is " the 
apostolic see." 

The style of Vincent, in speaking of Xystus and Cceles- 
tine, and their decisions, in this and the next chapter, is 
worthy of note. He calls the bishops of Rome " popes," as 
other eminent bishops were long after called. See Note P. 
He says of Xystus "who adorns the Roman Church," just 
as he had before said of Cyril, (ch. xxx.) " who adorns the 
Church of Alexandria " He uses stronger language (ch.vi.) 
of the decisions of Cyril, than of those of Xystus ; calling the 
former statuta, the latter dejinita ; while of Coslestine he 
employs the very same term, statuit. Of the decrees of the 
Council of Ephesus, ranking them in the last place, as the 
highest authority, he uses the strongest expressions, ^"tt<iecaio 
decernere. How different ail this from the way of thinking 
and speaking of those who hold modern notions of the Papal 
Supremacy ! 



The Catholic Faith. 

We preach no new faith, hut the same CathoHc Failh that ever 
hath been preaclied : neither was it any part of our meaning to begin 
a new Church in these latter days ot'tiie world, but to reform the 
old. • * • In all places of the world where the ancient foundations 
were rotained, and these common principles of faith, upon the pro- 
fession whereof men have ever been wont to be admitted, by bap- 
tism, into the Church of Christ : there we doubt not but our Lord 
had His subjects, and we our fellow-servants. For we bring in no 
new Faith, nor no new Church. That which in the time of the 
ancient fathers was accounted to be truly and properly Catholic^ 
namely, that which was believed everywhere, always and by 
ALL : that in the succeeding ages hath evermore been preserved, 
and is at this day entirely professed in our Church. And it is well 
observed by a learned man, who hath written a full discourse of this 
argument, that " whatsoever the father of lies either hath attempted 
or shall attempt, yet neither hath he hitherto affected, nor shall ever 
bring it to pass hereafter, that this Catholic Doctrine, ratified by the 
common consent of Christians always and everywhere, should be 
abolished ; but that in the thickest mist rather of the most perplexed 
troubles, it still obtained victory, both in the minds and in the open 
confession of all Christians, no ways overturned in the foundation 
thereof; and that in this verity that one Church of Christ was pre- 
served, in the midst of the tempests of the most cruel winter, or in 
the thickest darkness of her wanings." {Jo. Serranus, in ^pparat. 
ad Fid. Calh. ed. Par. 1607. p. ]72.) 

Thus, if at this day we should take a survey of the several profes- 
sions of Christianity, that have any large spread in any part of the 
world, as of the religion of the Roman and the reformed Churches 
in our quarfirs, of the Etiyptians and Ethiopians in the South, of the 
Grecians and other Christians in the Eastern parts; and should put 
by the points wherein they did differ one from another, and gather 
into one body the rest of the articles wherein they all did generally 
agree ; we should find, that in those propositions which without all 
controversy are universally received in 'he whole Christian world, 
so much truth is contained, as, being joined with holy obedience, 
may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation. Neither 
have we cause to doubt, but that " as many as do walk according 
to this rule,'' neither overthrowing that which they have builded by 
superinducing any damnable heiesies thereupon, nor otherwise 
vitiating iheir holy failh with a lewd and wicked conversation, 
"peace shall be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of 
God." — Abp I^ssher,*^ Brief Declaration of the Universality of the 
Church of Christ, and the Unity of the Catholic Faith prof essed'therein, 
a Sermon, ^c. Works, Vol. U. p. 493, 494, 497. 



APPENDIX. 

BISHOP BEVERIDGE, 
ON THE CONSENT OF THE CHURCH. 

To such a degree of temerity has this our senseless age 
advanced, that there is scarcely any thing in Christianity itself 
which is not either called into doubt in private, or made mat- 
ter of controversy in public. So much so, that even those 
doctrines and rites which, during many ages back, and from 
the very beginnings of the Church, have every where been 
received, at last in these our days come into hazard, and are 
assailed, just as if we were the first Christians, and all our 
ancestors had assumed and borne the mere name of Christ, 
and nothing more ; or at least, as if all had been constantly 
involved in the gravest errors, whoever before this time em- 
braced the faith made known in the Gospel. Forsooth in 
these full late times, it seems new lights are boasted of, new 
and greater gifts of the Holt Spirit are pretended : and 
therefore new forms of believing, new forms of praying, new 
forms of preaching, new forms in the use of ecclesiastical ad- 
ministrations, are daily framed and commonly adopted. And, 
what is most absurd, nothing now is esteemed of before 
novelty itself, but the newer any thing is, so much the greater 
number and the more does it please, and the more anxiously 
is it defended. Hence these tears, hence so many horrible 
schisms in the Church T For whilst individuals, indulging^ 
12 



142 APPENDIX. 

beyond what is meet, their abilities, or rather their own wan- 
ton fancies, devote themselves to the introduction of novelties 
into religion, the whole Body, through the infinite diversity of 
opinions, comes to be i-ent into Contrary schools and factions. 
11. But if we will only even now recollect ourselves, and 
weigh things with that temperate and fair spirit which is 
right, it will ut once be clear, that we, who now inhabit this 
and other countries around, are not either the first or the only 
worshippers of Christ, but only a small part of that great 
Body, whose Head is Christ: inasmuch as that Body, by 
the exceeding mercy of God, hath been spread abroad into all 
parts of the earth, and that, from the very times of the Apos- 
tles ; so that there is no age, and scarcely any country, in 
which there have not been very many who, by the Faith 
which we profess, have attained unto heaven. According to 
this view, if we attentively survey this vast body of all Chris- 
tians of every age, which is commonly called the Catholic or 
Universal Church, as constituted every where and aKvays, 
we shall find in it certain fixed, and as it were, common 
principles, which run through the whole, and connect all its 
parts both with each other and with the Head. The first of 
these, and that from which the rest arise, is, that Holy Scrip- 
ture, or the Old and New Testament, is divinely inspired. 
In this, all Christians every where agree, and have always 
agreed ; and therefore he who denies it, is pronounced un- 
worthy of their fellowship and of their name. Still further, 
this Holy Scripture, although in those precepts, which are ab- 
solutely necessary for every man's salvation, it be most clear 
and evident to all, yet, as to what respects doctrine and 
external discipline of the Church, it is not, from its very 
depth, received by all in one and the same sense, but " the 
divine sayings of this same Scripture are by one man inter- 



BEVERIDGE ON CONSENT OF THE CHURCH. 143 

preted in one way, and by another in another : so that it would 
seem to admit almost as many meanings as there are men," 
as formerly Vincent of Lerins observed, and as is more than 
sufficiently proved from the case of heretics and schismatics, 
inasmuch as, among them, every individual elicits his own 
erroneous opinions and practices out of the Holy Scriptures 
interpreted after his own manner. In things therefore of this 
nature, if we would be secured from error and falling, tirst of 
all, beyond all doubt, we must beware that we do not over 
pertinaciously adhere to the private opinions and conjectures 
of ourselves and others, but do rather carefully examine, what 
the ancient Church, or at least, the great majority of Chris- 
tians, have held in these matters, and must acquiesce in that 
decision which has obtained the consent of Christians in all 
ages- For as, according to Cicero, on every subject, " the 
consent of all men is the voice of nature," so also in things of 
this sort, the consent of all Christians may be deservedly ac- 
counted the voice of the Gospel. But there are many things 
which, although they are not read in express and definite 
terms in the Holy Scriptures, are yet by the common consent 
of all Christians drawn out of these Scriptures. For exam- 
ple: " that there are in the ever-blessed Trinity three dis- 
tinct Persons to be worshipped, the Father, the Son, and 
the Holy Ghost, and that these are, each of them, truly 
Gob, and yet that there is but One God; that Christ is 
God and man, OsdvOpwKos, truly GoD and truly man, in one 
and the same person," These and such like, although they 
are not, either in the Old or New Testament, declared in so 
many words and syllables, yet have they, as founded on both, 
ever been agreed on by all Christians, certain few heretics 
only excepted, of whom no more account is to be had in reli- 
gion, than of monsters in nature. So also, " that infants are 



144 APPENDIX. 

to receive the ablution of holy Baptism, and that sponsors 
are to be used for that Sacrament. That the Lord's day, or 
the first day in every seven, is to be religiously observed as a 
festival. That our Lord's passion, resurrection, and ascen- 
sion into heaven, as also the coming of the Holy Ghost, are 
to be commemorated every year. That the Church is every 
where to be administered by Bishops, distinguished from 
Presbyters, and set over them." These and others of this 
sort are no where in the sacred Scriptures enjoined directly 
and by name, yet have they notwithstanding, during fourteen 
hundred years from the Apostles, been every where received 
into public use of the Church, nor can there be found any 
Church during that period not agreeing to these things. So 
that there have been, as it were, certain common notions 
from the beginning implanted in the minds of all Christians, 
not so much from any particular passages of Holy Scripture, 
as from all ; from the general scope and tenor of the whole 
Gospel; from the very nature and purpose of the religion 
therein established ; and, finally, from the constant tradition 
of the Apostles, who, together with the faith propagated 
ecclesiastical rites of this sort, and, if I may so speak, general 
interpretations of the Gospel, For on any other supposition 
it would bo incredible, or even impossible, that they should 
have been received with so unanimous a consent every where, 
always, and by all. 

IIL From these premises, it is clear at the first glance 
what will follow. For seeing that no one doubts but that 
more confidence is to be placed in the whole Body than in in- 
dividual Christians, and more in the Universal Church than 
in any particular Churches whatsoever: seeing also that there 
are very many points in which the Universal Church, during 
many ages after the Apostles, agreed : seeing, finally, that 



BEVERIDGE ON CONSENT OF THE CHURCH. 145 

this consent of the Universal Church is the surest interpreta- 
tion of Holy Scripture on those points on which it may be 
had: it hence most clearly follows, of what and how great 
use the ancient Fathers, and other writers of all ages of the 
Church, must be, and how necessary to be consulted by them, 
who, in the prosecution of ecclesiastical controversies, have 
at heart either their own salvation, or the peace of the Church. 
Fur, were there no commentaries of the ancient Church> no 
acts of Councils, no monuments of ecclesiastical history, ex- 
tant at this day, in how great darkness should we be involved 
respecting our very religion itself? How easy would it be for 
any subtle heretic, or even for any the most flagitious impos- 
tor, under the mask of piety, to deceive the generality, and to 
lead them into the most pernicious errors of every descrip- 
tion ? Who could then convict the Church of Rome, or any 
other even the most corrupt communion, of fault or error, in 
those particulars which are not expressly prohibited in Holy 
Scripture ? For whence could it be proved, whether those 
things which are in use in that Church had, or had not, been 
handed down from the very Apostles, and approved by the 
consent of the Universal Church ? Finally, how many and 
how great disadvantages of every kind would arise hence ? 
But there is no reason that we should occupy our time in the 
enumeration of these things, seeing that amidst so many and 
so great confusions of empires, convulsions of particular 
Chui'ches, and perturbation of all human affairs, it hath been 
so ordered by the most wise and merciful providence of Al- 
mighty God, that from the very times of the Apostles even 
unto these our own times, there is no age whose ecclesiastical 
memorials are not preserved to us. From which memorials 
accordingly we are enabled to conceive a perfect idea of the 
Universal Church, and to feel assured and certain, what has 
12* 



146 APPENDIX. 

through all ages been admitted and what rejected; what 
rites and doctrines have prevailed, what heresies and schisms 
have been disapproved and condemned. Finally, from these 
and these alone we may see, on what points of doctrine and 
discipline agreement hath ever prevailed among all Churches, 
and on what again controversy hath existed between them, 
and consequently what is more, and what less, necessary to 
be believed and observed. For whatever is to be said of other 
things, those things at any rate in which all Churches every 
where have agreed, cannot but be most certain and necessary , 
even at this very time, to be retained of all. 

IV. This consent, however, be it remembered, of which we 
are speaking, of the Universal Church, on any articles of faith 
or ecclesiastical rites, is not to be sought from one or two wri- 
ters, much less from any one or two passages in any particular 
writer, apart from the rest, but from all combined, or at least 
from the greatest part of those, who, in all ages of the Church, 
(especially the earlier,) were the authors of any written 
works, in which they treated on these subjects. For in all 
societies, such as is the Church, the majority takes place of 
the minority, and has the same right as the whole. The words 
of the civil law are, "What is done by the majority of the 
court, is accounted the same as if done by all." Nay, this is 
one of the ordinary rules of that law, " That is ascribed to the 
whole, which is publicly done by the majority." That there- 
fore which is by the majority either appointed or affirmed, 
that is rightly to be considered the act of the Universal 
Church ; much more that which is confirmed by the united 
testimonies of all, or nearly all. To which class very many 
things in ecclesiastical matters may easily be reduced. For 
although we have not the express opinions of every individual 
Christian, through all ages, handed down to us, yet we pos- 



BEVERIDGE ON CONSENT OF THE CHURCH. 147 

sess what is to the same effect. For, first, when we speak of 
the consent of the Universal Church, it is not necessary that 
we regard the opinions of the people also, or laity. For they 
have never been admitted to deliver their judgment on the 
doctrine or discipline of the Church, in that it was presumed 
that in all things they, as is right, followed, not led, the 
opinions of their pastors. And besides, seeing that the peo- 
ple were anciently wont to vote in the election of their own 
bishops, and to give their testimony concerning those to be 
elected: by that very act they shewed openly enough that 
they agreed to their doctrine and discipline : so that what- 
ever might be the opinion of any one bishop, the people over 
whom he presided might fairly be held to be guided by the 
same. In consequence, that this consent of the Church is to 
be sought not from the people, but from their bishops, from 
the teachers and priests, Vincent of Lerins formerly rightly 
observed: " Consent also in like manner we shall arrive at," 
says he, *« if in this very antiquity we follow the definitions 
and expressed opinions of all, or at any rate, of nearly all, the 
priests and teachers." And indeed this position, namely, 
" that the consent of the Universal Church is to be sought 
not from the people, but from the bishops and clergy," is one 
of those very many points in which we have the Universal 
Church itself agreeing; seeing that when about to discuss 
ecclesiastical matters, she hath rarely suffered the people to 
be present, never to deliver an opinion, or to vote. For 
neither, in all the Councils which have ever been held on mat- 
ters of that sort, do we read, that any one from among the 
people set his name to the decrees. But in each age the 
common affairs of the Church were transacted by bishops 
alone in council assembled, with, occasionally, certain presby- 
ters, holding the places of their respective bishops. Which 



148 APPENDIX. 

Councils, if held in any one province, represented that prO' 
vincial Church alone; but if attended by all conjointly, or by 
the majority of them, they then represented the Universal 
Chtirch- " By which" (councils,) as Tertullian says, " both 
such points as are of a deeper character are discussed in com- 
mon, and the very assembly, as representing the whole Chris- 
tian name, is held in great reverence." But Councils of this 
sort, as well provincial, held by particular provinces, as Uni- 
versal, held (as the origin of their name declares) by the 
Universal Church, such Councils are even now extant, with 
many of their acts and decrees. There are extant also very 
many commentaries of individual bishops and presbyters, not 
indeed of all, but yi-t of those who, in each age, were most 
learned, and best acquainted with the doctrines and rites of 
the Church. From all of which, we are able most clearly to 
see (if any other thing) the common opinions both of all, and 
each of the Churches, and so to collect most assuredly what 
we are to hold on these points. For although we grant it to 
be doubtful whether others, who either were not authors, or 
whose writings are not now in existence, may not perchance 
have held otherwise, yet since that is not capable of proof, 
and not to be capable of proof, in causes of this sort, is mani- 
festly the same as not to exist ; whatever all, or the majority 
of those, whose genuine works have been left us, taught, as it 
were in common, that is vi-ithout any doubt, to be held for the 
common and constant doctrine of the Universal Church. 
Especially when the Universal Church also has itself fully 
enough testified her agreement to that doctrine, which is pre- 
served in the ancient writings of Councils and Fathers, from 
this fact, that, the providence of God so ordering, she hath 
preserved to us those writings in which that doctrine is con- 
tained, the commentaries, in the mean time, of others, who 



BEVERIDGE ON CONSENT OF THE CHURCH. 149 

held otherwise, having been buried in so deep oblivion, that 
scarcely have their names been transmitted to posterity. 
From all which things, as briefly and summarily premised, 
we may rightly conclude, that all, both separate works of in- 
dividual fathers, and acts and monuments of Synods, as well 
provincial as universal, which exist at this day, are in the first 
place, of this very great and remarkable use to us, in that 
from them we may consider as certainly proved, what the 
Universal Church hath ever beHeved and openly taught, on 
necessary articles of faith and rites ecclesiastical, and there- 
fore what is to be ever believed and taught in the Church. 
For no one can doubt, but that it is both most safe, and su-. 
premely necessary, in all things, as far as is possible, religi- 
ously to walk in the steps of the faith and customs of the Uni- 
versal Church. 

V. But perhaps some one may say, " that the Fathers, 
both separately as individuals, and many of them conjointly, 
erred in various points of religion ; and that they at times 
disagree among themselves, and that indeed, sometimes, on 
matters of great moment." These objections, I confess, 
against the ancient Fathers of the Church, and their authority 
in the settlement of ecclesiastical controversies, have been of 
late introduced. But whether they be true or false, is a point 
which we need not now discuss. For even if we grant them 
true to the fullest extent, yet can no argument be drawn from 
them against our judgment concerning the right use of the 
Fathers. Inasmuch as we are speaking of the Fathers, not 
as individuals taken separately, but as taken all conjointly. 
And therefore how many errors soever may have been detect- 
ed in one or more, and how much soever in some things, pos- 
sibly of great moment, they may even disagree with one an- 
other, or at least may appear to disagree, yet our position re- 



150 APPENDIX. 

mains firm enough and stable, since there are certainly, after 
allowance made for them, many things, on which an agree- 
ment prevails among all the Fathers universally, and very 
many, to which a majority of them have given their united 
assent. But all the dissensions which have heen raised 
among them on certain subjects, take nothing from their su- 
preme authority on those points in which they agree, but 
rather in an eminent degree confirm it. For the fact, that in 
other things they have differed, most plainly manifests, that 
those things, on which they have agreed, they have handed 
down, not from any compact or agreement, not from any 
party formed, not from any communication of design, nor, 
finally, from their own private opinions, but naked and un- 
adulterated, as derived from the common and general inter- 
pretation and tradition of the Universal Church. And, indeed, 
although on certain less necessary points, as well of faith as 
of discipline, the ancient Fathers do in some little degree 
differ one from another, yet that very many things have been 
received with the fullest agreement by all, is so clear, that 
we may judge of it with our own eyes. For there are many 
things which we see have been defined by the Universal 
Church in councils truly oecumenical, many things which have 
been approved by the consent of several, many things again by 
the consent of all the writers of the Church; many things, 
finally, concerning which there was in ancient times no con- 
troversy moved. Some of this class have been mentioned by 
us above, to which very many others may be added. Those 
especially which, although not definitely prescribed in Holy 
Scripture, have yet been retained by our very pious and pru- 
dent reformers of the English Church. 

VI. For when this our English Churcli, through long com- 
munion with the Roman Church, had contracted like stains 



BEVERIDGE ON CONSENT OF THE CHURCH. 151 

with her, from \vhic;h it was necessary that it should be 
cleansed, they who took that excellent and very necessary 
work in hand, fearing that they, like others, might rush from 
one extreme to the other, removed indeed those things, as well 
doctrines as ceremonies, which the Roman Church had newly 
and insensibly superinduced, and as was fit, abrogated them 
utterly. Yet notwithstanding, whatsoever things had been at 
all times believed and observed by all Churches in all 
places, those things they most religiously took care not so to 
abolish with them. For they well knew, that all particular 
Churches are to be formed on the model of the Universal 
Church, if indeed, according to that general and received rule 
in ethics, "every part which agreeth not with its wl)ole is 
therein base." Hence therefore these first reformers of this 
particular Church directed the whole line of that reformation, 
which they undertook, according to the rule of the whole or 
Universal Church, casting away those things only which had 
been either unheard of, or rejected by, the Universal Church, 
but most religiously retaining those which they saw, on the 
other side, corroborated by the consent of the Univcr.-ul 
Church. Whence it hath been brought to p.iss, that aliliough 
we have not communion with the Roman, nor with ccrtnin 
other particular Churches, as at this day constituted, yet liave 
we abiding communion with the Universal and Catljolic Church, 
of which evidently ours, as by the aid of God first constituted, 
and by His pity still preserved, is the perfect image and re- 
presentation. 

VII. But, that we digress no further from our proposed 
object, when we are speaking of the Universal Church, and 
its agreement, without any doubt^ regard is to be had especial- 
ly to the Primitive Church: inasmuch as, although it be only 
a part of the whole, yet is it universally agreed that it was 



152 APPENDIX. 

the more pure and genuine part. For the same hath happen- 
ed to the Church, which hath happened to each several com- 
monwealth, namely, that ancient customs passing by degrees 
into disuse, new institutions are devised by the wanton imagi- 
nations of men's minds, which very fault is above all other to 
be eschewed in religion. For it is agreed among all Christians 
that the Apostolic Church as constituted by the Apostles of 
our Lord in person, under the guidance of Divine inspira- 
tion, and by them whilst yet living administered, was of all 
Churches the purest and most perfect. Furthermore nothing 
seems more at variance with the common faith of Christians 
than that the doctrine or discipline instituted by the Apostles, 
should have been corrupted or any way changed by their im- 
mediate successors. For all confess, that the Apostles were 
most faithful men. and of consequence willed to ordain none 
as their successors, except those whose faith and integrity 
was fully approved by themselves personally. Therefore the 
first successors of the Apostles doubtless kept inviolate and 
uncorrupted the Church, whose government had been en- 
trusted to them ; and in like manner handed it down to their 
own successors, and these again to others, and so on ; inso- 
much that there can exist no doubt, but that at least during 
two or three ages from the Apostles, the Church flourished 
in her primitive vigour, and so to say, in her virgin estate, that 
is, in the same condition in which she had been left by the 
Apostles themselves; except that from time to time new here- 
sies burst forth even in those days, by which the Church was 
indeed harassed, but in no way corrupted; clearly no more 
than the Church, strictly Apostolic, was perverted by those 
errors, which arose whilst the Apostles were yet living. For 
they had scarcely time to rise up, before they were rejected 
by the Catholic Church. Which things, therefore, notwith- 



BEVERIDGE ON CONSENT OF THE CHURCH. 153 

Standing-, the Universal Church which followed ever held that 
Primitive Church to be most pure, and in refuting all heresies 
which afterwards arose, appealed to her as the rule of other 
Churches. For if any one endeavored to bring any thing new 
into the doctrine or discipline of the Church, those Fathers 
who opposed themselves to him, whether individually or 
assembled together in a body, sought their arguments, as out 
of the Holy Scriptures, so also out of the doctrines and tradi- 
tions of the Church of the first ages. For this is observable 
in nearly all acts of Councils, and commentaries of individual 
Fathers, wherever, that is, ecclesiastical controversies are dis- 
cussed. And indeed nothing still is move rational, nothing 
certainly more desirable, than that all particular Churches at 
this day wherever constituted, were reformed after the model 
of the Primitive Church. For this measure would immedi- 
ately cast forth whatever corruptions have crept in during 
later ages, and would restore to their ancient original, on the 
other hand, all things which are required for the true consti- 
tution of a Christian Church. 

Translated from Preface to Codex Canonum EcclesicB 
Primitivm vindicatus ac illustrattts, Aulore Guliel- 
mo Beveregio, Ecclesice Anglicance Presbytero ; 
(Lond. 1678, aiid reprinted in vol. ii. of Cotelerius' 
edition of the Apostolic Fathers ; ) as an Introduc- 
tion to the translation of the Commonitory of Vincent, 
published at Oxford in 1837. 



13 



INDEX. 



[The numerals refer to the Preface and Introduction. N designates the Notes ; 
A the Appendix.] 



Acts of Councils, A148 

; ofthe Council of Ephesus, 96 

African Council, 16 

Agrippinus, 14, N 114 

Ambrose, 95, quoted 11 

Anathema, 21 not obsolete, 23 

Anathematizing novelty a duty, 24 

Ancient authors, how to be used, 85 ss., their importance, 

A 145, 148— resorted toby heretics, .... 17 

Antiquity, . . xv, xix, 6, 14, 16, 62, 84, 92, 98, 99, 100 s. 

Apollinaris, 5, 26, 30, 36, 47 

Apollinarianism, 23, 47 

Apostles, succession of, 14, N 113 

traditions from, A 144 — false, ... 79, 83 

Apostolic Church, 13, N112, A152 

doctrine, 21— see, . . . . 14,15, 99, Nil 5 

Ariminum, Synod of, 93, NllO 

Arius, 5, 74 

Arian error, 39 

Arianism, 8ss.,N110 

Athanasius, 94 

Athanasian Creed, N120 

Augustine, supposed to be assailed by Vincent, . . N137 

Authority, ecclesiastical, 93 

of the bishop of Rome, .... N115 

Romish claim of, xviii 



156 



B 



Baptism, heretical and schismatical,N113 infant, A143 

lay, N113 

Basil of Caesarea, 95 

Belief without doubt, N109 

Beveridge, Bp., on the consent of the Church, . ^ppendia:. 

Bezaleel, the spiritual, 65 

Bishops, Catholic, 86, 92 the Church everj'where admin- 
istered bj', A144 indices of the consent of the 

Church, A147 co-ordinate and independent, . N114 

Body of Christ, the Church, A142 

Book, sacerdotal, NllO 

Brogden's Catholic Safeguards, .... N125 



Candlestick, seven-branched, 13 

Canon, divine, 14 of Scripture, perfect, . . 4 

Capreolus, bishop of Carthage, . . . .96, 101, N138 

Carthage, CouncU of, Nil 6 

Catharists, N132 

Catholic, meaning of the word, .... 6 

the title does not belong to the Church of Rome, N108 

Catholic doctrine, 21, 70, 72, 83, 88, 91, N126, 140 faith, 

the, 8, 30, 41 , 65, 73, 79, 81, 86, 140 preaching of the 

gospel, 23 sense, 5, 92 sentiments, 69, xxiii —— 

truth, 13 

Catholic, The true, character of, . . . . 57 

Catholics, 62, 74, 88 names given to by heretics, . N132 

Catholic Safeguards, Brogden's, .... N125 

Chalcedon, Council of, viii 

Chaste, the, 73 

Christ, Natures and Person of, 33 ss., 44 ss. reality of His 

humanity, 41 

Christotokos, 34 



INDEX. 157 

Church, the Catholic, how constituted, A142 administra- 
tion of, 25, A144 indefectibility of, N109 the only 

preachei and teacher, 24 a cautious keeper of doc- 
trine, 70, 102 how corniptions may prevail in, not 

against, N127 asserted by heretics to be in error, 98, 102 

Clergy, tlie judges of doctrine, A147 

Clerks, the inferior clergy, 9 

Coelestine,Pope, 99 s. 

Coelestius, 4,74,103 

Commonilory, 3, 90, 103 character of the work, . vi 

Communication of attributes of the two natures of Christ, 44, 48 

Confessors, their desert, lis. 

Consent, 6, 83, 92, A143ss. of the Church, how to be 

learned, A146 

Constantinople made, first the second see, and then equal 

with Rome, N116 

Consubstantial, the term, N129 

Continent, the, 73 

Corruptions, growth of, in the East and West, N127 

Romish, ix, N125, 135 

Council, Universal, 84, 86, 92, A148 

Councils, how held, A147 the end of their decrees, 71, N128 

Courayer's Defence of his Translation, &c., . . N133 

Creeds, origination of, 71, N128 

Cyril of Alexandria, 94, 95, 96, 101 

Cyprian, 17, 95, N115, 116 



Daill^'s objections to Vincent's rule, . . . xiv, N136 

Decrees of Councils, 71 

Deposit of the elders, 25, 75 of the faith, . . 64, N126 

Depravity, human, 75 

Development of religion, . . x, 66, N118, 121, 122, 125, 138 

De\il, his abuse of Scripture, 80 

Disciplina Arcani, ix 

DocetBB, heresy of, 41 

Doctrine, the, not to be amended and perfected, 61, 98, Nil 8, 121 

how susceptible of improvement, • . 66 ss., N123 

13* 



158 INDEX. 

Doctrines, new, called strange gods, .... 26 

Donatus, 8, 26 

Donatists, Nil", 132 

Doubt, 59, N109 



Ecclesiastical constitution, 18 

England, Church of, its distinctive principle, xiv, xv— xxiv, A150 

Ephesus, Council of, vi, 93, 96, 102 

Errors of great men our trial, 57 progress of, . . 70 

Eucherius, v, vi 

Eunomius, 5, 76 

Evangelical authority, 81 

Expoundt;rs, 88 



Faith, the Catholic, 8, 30, 41, 65,73, 79, 81, 86, 140 precepts 

concerning, 23 the Rule of, a trust, 60 ss. pro- 
gress of, 66 ss. 

Family of Love, Nlo2 

Fathers, the blc^^sed, 73, the holy, 75,85,92,93,102,103 

cited in the Council of Ephesus, 94 ss. importance of 

their writings, A145, 148 how to be used, 85 ss., objec- 
tions to their use answered, A149 

Felix the martyr, 95 

Festivals, observance of, ^ A144 

Field of the Church, 68 

Flesh of the Lord, whence, 33 

Fundamentals, 91, A142 



Gauls, Bishops of, epistle to, 100 

(Termination of Truth, . . . . . . 68 s. 

Gnostics, N132 

God said to be the author of evil, .... 75 

Grace, its necessity, 74,N106 

Gregory Nazianzen, 95 

of Nyssa, ....... 95 



H 

Ham, the sin of, 18 

Hawarden quoted, xix 

Heresies, why they are permitted, 58 inveterate, . 85s. 

Heresy, how set up, 74 distinguished from novelt.v, . N130 

Heretics, teachings of, 63 their resort to ancient authors, 

17, to Scripture, 76 ss. 81 false promises of, 82 

seductions of, N131 

Hilary, V quoted, 56 

Holy Spirit, seven-fold light of, ... .13 

Honoratus, v, N105 



Incarnation, doctrine of tlie, 33 

Infallible judge of controversy not known to Vincent, xi, N106, 107 
Infallibility, of the present Church, xi fallacy of preten- 
sions to, N109, 133 

Infant baptism, A143 

Innovation forbidden, 15 



Jebb, Bishop, his summary of Vincent's system, . . xv — xxiv 

Jovinian, 5, 76 

Judgment, expectation of, 2, N105 

private, xii, xiv, 91,N109 

Julian, the Pelagian, 90 

Julius, hishop of Rome, 95 



Laity, not judges of doctrine, A147 

Laud against Fisher, quoted, N126 

Lerins, monastery of, v monks of, names assumed by, N105 

Levites, deacons, 9, 73 

Liberius, Pope, NllO 

Lord's Day, observance of, A144 

Lupus, V 



160 



M 



Macedonius, 5 

Majority determines the consent of the Church, . . A146 

Manichees, N132 their doctrine, 41 

Mary, the mother of God, 34, 44 ss. 

Maxims, catholic, not to be disputed, .... N126 

Metropolitans, 97 

Monastery, life in, 2, N106 

Montanists, N132 

Mother Church, sons of, 83 

Mother of God, bow Mary is, 45 



Nestorius, .... 5, 28, 36, 47, 48, 93, 98, 102, 103 

Nestorianism, 34, 47 

New lights, A141 

Notions, common, of Christians, A144 

Novatian * 5, 74, N132 

Novelties, what are, 73 distinguished from heresies, N130 

how to be checked, 85 of Rome, . . ix, N135 

Novelty, appetite for, 61, A141 dreadful results of, 9 

to be avoided, 62, 72, 97, 99 exploded, 16 how to 

crush, 14, 86 its effects, as a mean of trial, 58 in 

expression, not doctrine, 65 



Opinions, individual, 87 authors and followers of, . 16, 49 

Origen, his character and fall, 49 ss. 

Original sin, 74 

Oxford edition of the Commonitory, .... xiii 



Paul, St., 24 

of Samosata, 76 

Palmer, how assailed by Wiseman, .... N136 

Pelagius, 5,25,74,103 

Peregrinus, 1, N105 



INDEX. 161 

Person, ortliodox use of the term, 40 ss. and Substance, 

37 ss. of Christ, when its unity began, . 43 s., N120 

Peter, St., held liable to error, N118 

bishop of Alexandria, 94 

Philip, the Emperor, 52 

Pholinus, 5, 26, 29, 36, 46 

PhoMiiianism, 33, 46 

Pius IV, Creed of, ix in a sense heretical, . . N130 

Pope, the term, 15, N114 his colleagues, . . 15, N115 

Porphyry, 52 Apollinaris' work against, ... 31 

Primitive doctrines to be kept unchanged, . . .69, A151 

Priscillian, • . . 5, 75, 76 

Priscillianists, N132 

Private judgment, .... xii, xiv, xviii, 91, N109, 133 
Procter's translation of the Commonitory, . . . xiii 

Profane, what it means, 73 

Progress of the faith, 66 

Prophets, who so called, 26, 32, 87, 88 

Purgatoiy, N122, 124 

Puritans, ancient, N132 



Eebaptization, 14 

Reeves' translation of the Commonitory, .... xiii 
Reformers, their course, .... N134, A150, xx 

Reverendus, N105 

Ridley quoted, xx 

Rome, why the apostolical see, N115, 139 why first in 

authority of place, N115 bishop of, not viewed by 

Vincent as by modern papists, N117, 139 kind of 

headship allowed, N138 Church of, not known as 

keeper of the rule of faith, N106, 110, 111, xii a part 

only of the Church, Nlll, xii novelties of, . xi, N135 

Romish corruptions of antiquity, N125, 135 doctrine of 

the rule of faith, xvii 

Rule of faith, a trust, 60 ss. once for all given, 61 

Romish doctrine of, xvii 



162 INDEX. 

s 

Sabellius, 5,74 

Sacerdotal book, 11, NllO 

Sacrifice of humility, 2 

Saints, who are, 88 

Salvian, N105 

Schisms, 86, 92 

Schismatics, enticements of, N131 

Science, falsely so called, 62, 75 

Scripture, Canon of, perfect, 4, N107 a perfect rule, N107 

suffices for all demands, 4, 91, A142 taken in 

various senses, 5, A143 its meaning, how to be 

fixed, 91 needs ecclesiastical interpretation, 4 s., 83, 

85, 91, A143 quoted by the devil. 80, against the catho- 
lic faith, 81 its abuse by heretics, 76 s., their claim 

tliat it is understood by themselves alone, ... 98 

Seals, hereditary, 11 

Sheep's clothing, 78 

Simon Magus, 74 

Spirit, (see Holy,) 

Stephen, Pope, 15, N115, 116 

Stillingfleet, Bishop, N136 

Substance and Person, 37 ss. 

Substances (or natures) of Christ, the two, . . . 38 s. 

Succession of the blessed Apostles, 14 



Taylor, Bp. Jeremy, N137 

Teachers, great, why permitted to introduce error, . . 25, 49 

Temptation of erroneous teaching, 27 

Terms, new, N129 

Tersanctus, 48 

TertulHan, his character and errors, 55 ss. quoted, N112, 137 

Texts, cited and illustrated. 

Deut. xiii. 1,2, 26,56 

xxxii. 7, 1 



163 




164 INDEX. 

Timotheus, ------ N105 

Timothy, of whom a symbol, - - - - 14 

Tradition, _ _ - - 71, 72, 81, 83, N128 

Traditions from the Apostles, - - . - A14 

Trent, Council of, xi hard to clear from heresy, - N130 

Tridentine corruptions, - - - - N12o 

Trinity, doctrine of the, - - • 36s., 47, A143 

Truth, how to discern from heresy, - - - 4 

U 

Universality, - - - - 6, 13, 83s., 92, N118, 84 



Valentinus, ------- 26 

Vincent, his life, v his character as a writer, vi sub- 
ject of his Treatise, N109, xv-xxiv Translations of it, xiii 

holds Scripture to be a perfect rule, N107, xv 

follows it, as interpreted by the universal Church, N106, 

xix knows no infallible judge of controversy, N106, 

110, xviii, xxii objections to his rule,xiv that the 

people cannot use it, - - - - - Nl^ 

Vincent, the brother of Lupus, - - - - v 

Virgin Mary, honor due to, N120 deification of, - - xi 



Will, its freedom, - - - - - - 74, 75 

Wiseman's unscrupulousness, _ _ _ N136 

Wolves, 78 



Xystus, Pope, 



INCIPIT TRACTATUS 

Peregrini pro catholicse fidei antiquitate et universitate ad- 
versus profanas omnium hrereticorum novitates. 



1. DiCENTE scriptura et monente, interroga Pa- 
ir es tuos, et dicent tihi : seniores tuos, et annunciahunt 
tibi*: Et item : verbis sapientium adcommoda aurem 
tuam)^. Et item : Fili mi, hos sermones ne oblivisca- 
ris, mea autem verba custodial cor luum^. Videtur 
mihi minimo omnium servorum Dei Peregrino quod 
res non minimse utilitatis Domino adjuvante futura 
sit, si ea, quee fideliter a Sanctis Patribus accepi, 
literis comprehendam, infirmitati certe propriae per- 
necessaria : quippe cum adsit in promptu, unde im- 
becillitas memoriae mese assidua lectione reparetur. 
Ad quod me negotium non solum fructus operis, sed 
etiam consideratio temporis, et opportunitas loci 
adhortatur. Tempus, propterea, quod cum humana 
omnia ab eo rapiantur, et nos ex eo aliquid invicem 
rapere debemus, quod in vitam proficiat aeternam : 
praBsertim cum et appropinquantis divini judicii ter- 
ribilis quaedam expectatio augeri efflagitet studia 
religionis : et novorum haereticorum fraudulentia 

^ Deut. xxxii. 7. '° Prov. xxii. 17. <= Prov. iii. 1. 
Ephes. V. 16. 



6 VINCEKTII LIRINENSIS 

multum curse et attentionis indigeat. Locus autem 
quod urbium frequentias, turbasque vitantes, remo- 
tioris villulse, et in ea secretum monasterii incola- 
mus habitaculum, ubi absque magna distractione 
fieri possit illud, quod canitur in Psalmo : Vacate, 
inquit, et videte, quoniam ego sum Deus*. Sed et 
propositi nostri ratio in id convenit, quippe qui cum 
aliquandiu variis ac tristibus secularis militiae turbin- 
ibus volveremur, tandem nos in portum religionis, 
cunctis semper fidissimum, Christo adspirante con- 
didimus: ut ibi depositis vanitatis ac superbise flati- 
bus, Christians humilitatis sacrificioplacantes Deum, 
non solum praesentis vitae naufragia, sed etiam futuri 
seculi incendia vitare possemus. Sed jam in nomine 
Domini, quod instat, aggrediar : ut scilicet a majori- 
bus tradita, et apud nos deposita, describam, relato- 
ris fide potius, quam auctoris preesumptione : ha-c 
tamen scribendi lege servata, ut nequaquam omnia, 
sed tantum necessaria quaeque perstringam : nequ-e 
id ornato et exacto, sed facili, communique sermone : 
utpleraque significata potius, quam explicatavidean- 
tur. Scribant ii laute et accurate, qui ad hoc mu- 
nus, vel ingenii fiducia, vel officii ratione ducuntur : 
me vero sublevandse recordationis, vel potius obliv- 
ionis mese gratia, comrnonitorium mihimet parasse 
suffecerit : quod tamen paulatim recolendo quae 
didici, emendare et implere quotidie Domino prse- 
stante conabor. Atqui hoc ipsum idcirco preemonui, 
^ Psal. xlvi. 10. 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 7 

ut si forte -elapsuui nobis in manus Sanctorum deve- 
n^rit, nihil in eo temere reprehendant ; quod adhuc 
videant promissa eniendatione limanduni. 

II. Saepe igitur maguo studio et summa atten- 
tione perquireus a quamplurimis sanctitate et doc- 
trina praestautibus viris, quonam modo possim 
certa quadam et quasi generali ac regulari via, 
CatholicaB fidei veritatem ab haereticse pravitatis 
falsitate discernere, hujusmodi semper responsum 
ab omnibus fere retuli : Quod sive ego, sive quis 
alius vellet exsurgentium haereticorum fraudes de- 
prehendere, laqueosque vitare, et in fide sana sanus 
atque integer permanere, duplici modo, munire fidem 
suam, Domino adjuvante, deberet. Primo scilicet, 
divin(e legis auctoritate : turn deinde Ecclesia Cath- 
olicce traditione. 

Hie forsitan requirat aliquis : Cum sit perfectus 
scripturarum Carton^ sibique ad omnia satis superque 
stifficiat, quid opus est, ut ei Ecdesiasticce intelligen- 
tice jungatur auctoritas 1 Quia videlicet scriptu- 
ram sacram pro ipsa sua altitudine non uno, eodem- 
que sensu universi accipiunt : sed ejusdem eloquia 
aliter atque aliter alius interpretatur : ut pene quot 
homines sunt, tot illinc sententise erui posse videan- 
tur. Aliter uamque illam Novatianus, aliter Pho- 
tinus, aliter Sabellius, aliter Donatus exponit, aliter 
Arrius, Eunomius, Macedonius, aliter Apollinaris, 
Priscillianus, aliter Jovinianus, Pelagius, Ceelestius, 



8 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

aliter postremo Nestorius. Atque idcirco multum 
necesse est, propter tantos tarn varii erroris anfractus 
ut Propheticee et Apostolicee interpretadonis linea 
secundum Ecclesiastici et Catholici sensus normam 
dirigatur. 

In ipsa item CatholicaEcclesia magnopere curan- 
dum est, ut id teneamus, quod ubique, quod semper, 
quod ah omnibus creditum est. (Hoc est etenim vere 
proprieque Catholicum, quod ipsa vis nominis ratio- 
que declarat, quae omnia fere universaliter compre- 
hendit) sed hoc ita demum fiet : si sequamur Uni- 
versitatem, Antiquitatem, Consensionem. Sequemur 
autem Universitatem hoc modo, si hanc unam fidem 
veram esse fateamur, quam tota per orbem terra- 
rum confitetur Ecclesia: Antiquitatem vero ita, si 
ab his sensibus nullatenus recedamus, quos sanctos 
Majores ac Patres nostros celebrasse manifestum 
est : Consensionem quoque itidem ; si in ipsa vetus- 
tate, omnium vel certe pene omnium Sacerdotum 
pariter et Magistrorum definitiones sententiasque 
sectemur. 

III. Quid igitur faciet Christianus CathoHcus, si 
se ahqua Ecclesiae particula ab universahs fidei 
communione praeciderit ? Quid utique nisi ut pes- 
tifero coiTuptoque membro, sanitatem universi cor- 
poris anteponat? Quid si novella aliqua contagio 
non jam portiunculam tantum, sed totam pariter 
Ecclesiam commaculare conetur? Tunc item pro- 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 9 

videbit, ut antiquitati inhtereat : quae prorsus jam 
non potest ab ulla novitatis fraude seduci. Quid si 
in ipsa vetustate, duorum aut trium hominum, vel 
certe civitatis imius aut etiam provinciae alicujus 
error deprehendatui' ? Tunc omniuo eurabit, ut 
paucorum temeritati vel inscitige si qua sunt univer- 
saliter antiquitus universalis Concilii decreta prse- 
ponat. Quid si tale aliquid emergat, ubi nihil 
hujusmodi reperiatur ? Tunc operam dabit, ut 
collatas inter se Majorum consulat interrogetque 
sententias : eorum duntaxat, qui diversis licet tem- 
poribus et locis, in unius tamen Ecclesiae Catholicae 
communione et fide permanentes, magistri proba- 
biles exstiterunt : et quicquid non unus aut duo 
tantum, omnes pariter uno eodemque consensu, 
aperte, frequenter, perseveranter, tenuisse, scrip- 
sisse, docuisse cognoverit, id sibi quoque intelligat 
absque ulla dubitatione credendum. 

IV. Sed ut planiora fiant quee dicimus, exemplis 
singulatim illustranda sunt, et paulo uberius exag- 
gerenda; ne innnodicae brevitatis studio rapiantur 
rerum pondera orationis celeritate. 

Tempore Donati a quo Donatistee^ cum sese 
multa pars Africse in erroris sui furias praecipitaret, 
cumque immemor nominis, religionis, professionis, 
unius hominis sacrilegam temeritatem Ecclesiae 
Christi praeponeret; tunc quicunque per Africam 
constituti profano schismate detestato, universis 
1* 



10 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

mundi Ecclesiis adsociati sunt, soli ex illis omni- 
bus intra sacraria Catholicse fidei salvi esse potue- 
runt : egregiam profecto relinquentes posteris for- 
mam, quemadmodum scilicet et deinceps, bono 
more, unius aut certe paucorum vesaniae, universo- 
rum sanitas anteferretur. 

Item quando Arrianorvm venenum, non jam 
portiunciilam quandam, sed pene orbem totum 
contaminaverat, adeo ut prope cunctis Latini ser- 
monis Episcopis, partim vi, partim fraude deceptis, 
caligo quaedam mentibus offunderetur, q^^idnam 
potissimum in tanta rerum confusione sequendmn 
foret ; tunc quisquis verus Christi amator et cultor 
exstitit, antiquam fidem novellce perfidise praefe- 
rendo, nulla contagii ipsius peste maculatus est. 
Cujus quidem temporis periculo satis superque 
monstratum est, quantum invehatur calamitatis, 
novelli dogmatis inductione. Tunc siquidem non 
solum parvae res, sed etiam maximae labefactatae 
sunt. Nee enim tantum affinitates, cognationes, 
amicitiae, domus, verum etiam urbes, populi, pro- 
vinciae, nationes, universum posti'emo Romanum 
imperium funditus concussum et emotum est. 
Namque cum prophana ipsa An-ianorum novitas, 
velut quaedam Bellona aut Furia, capto prius om- 
nium Imperatore, cuncta denique palatii culmina 
legibus novis subjugasset, nequaquam deinceps 
destitit universa miscere atque vexare, privata ac 
publica, sacra, prophanaque omnia, nullum boni et 



ADVERSUS HJERESES. 11 

veri gerere discrimen, sed quoscunqiie collibuisset, 
tanquam de loco superiore percutere. Tunc teme- 
ralae conjuges, depullatae viduge, prophanatae vir- 
gines, monasteria demolita, disturbati Clerici, ver- 
berati Levitse, acti in exilium Sacerdotes, oppleta 
Sanctis ergastula, carceres, metalla : quorum pars 
maxima interdictis urbibus protrusi atque extorres, 
inter deserta, speluncas, feras, saxa, nuditate, fame, 
siti, affecti, contriti, et tabefacti sunt. Atqui haec 
omnia nunquid ullam aliam ob causam, nisi utique 
dum pro coelesti dogmate humance superstitiones 
introducuntur : dum bene fundata antiquitas scelesta 
novitate subruitur, dum superiorum instituta vio- 
lantur, dum rescinduntur scita patrum : dum con- 
velluntur definifa majorum : dum sese intra sacratae 
atque incorruptae vetustatis castissimos limites pro- 
phanaB ac novellae curiositatis libido non continet? 

V. Sed forsitan odio novitatis, et amore vetusta- 
tis hsec fingimus. Quisquis hoc aestimat, Beato 
saltem credat Ambrosio, qui, in secundo ad Im- 
peratorem Gratianum libro, acerbitatem temporis 
ipse deplorans, ait. Sed jam satis, inquit, omnipo- 
tens Deus nostro exitio, nostroque sanguine Confes- 
sorum neces, exilia sacerdotum, et nefas tantce hrvpie- 
tatis eluimus. Satis claruit, eos qui violaverint 
Jidem, tutos esse non j)osse. Item in tertio ejusdem 
operis libro : Servem.us igitur, inquit, prcecepta 
majorum, nee hereditaria signacida ausi rudis 



12 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

temeritate violemus. Lihrum signatum ilium yro- 
pheticum non seniores, non potestates, non Angeli, 
non Archangeli aperire ausi sunt: soli CJiristo ex- 
planandi ejus prcerogativa servata est. Lihrum 
sacerdotalem quis nostrum dissignare audeat, signa- 
tum, a confessoribus, et multorum jam martyrio con- 
secratum ? Quern qui dissignare coacti sunt, postea 
tamen damnata fraude signarunt, qui violare non 
ausi sunt, Confessores et Martyres exstiterunt. 
Quomodo Jidem eorum possumus denegare, quorum 
victoriam pmdicamus? Praedicamus, inquam, o 
venerande Ambrosi, praedicamus plane, laudantes- 
que miramur. Nam quis ille tam demens est, qui 
eos, etsi adsequi non evaleat, non exoptet sequi ? 
quos a defensione fidei Majorum nulla vis depulit? 
non minee, non blandimenta, non vita, non mors, 
non palatium, non satellites, non imperator, non 
imperium, non homines, non daemones : Quos, in- 
quam, pro religiosae vetustatis tenacitate tanto 
munere Dominus dignos judicavit, ut per eos pros- 
tratas repararet Ecclesias, extinctos spiritales 
populos vivificaret, dejectas sacerdotum coronas 
reponeret, nefarias illas novellae impietatis non 
literas, sed lituras, infuso caelitus Episcopis fide- 
lium lacrymarum fonte deleret: universum pos- 
tremo jam pene mundum saeva repentinae haereseos 
tempestate perculsum, ad antiquam fidem a novella 
perfidia : ad antiquam sanitatem, a novitatis vesania : 
ad antiquam lucem, a novitatis coecitate revocaret. 



ADVERSUS HiERESES. 13 

Sed in hac divina quadam confessorum virtute, 
illud etiam est nobis vel maxime considerandum, 
quod tunc apud ipsam Ecclesiae vetustatem non 
partis alicujus sed universitatis ab iis est suscepta 
defensio ; neque enim fas erat, ut tanti ac tales viri 
unius, aut duorum hominum errabundas, sibique 
ipsis contrarias suspiciones tarn magno molimine 
adsererent, aut vero pro alicujus provinciolae teme- 
raria quadam conspiratione certarent : sed omnium 
sanctae Ecclesiae Sacerdotum, Apostolicse et Catho- 
licse veritatis hneredum decreta et definita sectantes, 
maluenint semetipsos, quam vetustae universitatis 
fidem prodere. Unde et ad tantam gloriam per- 
venire meruerunt, ut non solum confessores, verum 
etiam confessorum principes jure meritoque habe- 
antur. 

VI. Magnum hoc igitur eorundem .beatorum 
exemplum; planeque divinum, et veris quibusque 
Catholicis indefessa meditatione recolendum: qui 
in modum septemplicis candelabri, septena sancti 
Spiritus luce radiantes, clarissimam posteris formu- 
1am preemonstrarunt, quonam modo deinceps pei' 
singula quaeque errorum vaniloquia, sacratae vetus- 
tatis auctoritate, prophanae novitatis conteratur 
audacia. 

Neque hoc sane novum : siquidem mos iste sem- 
per in Ecclesia viguit, ut quo quisque foret religio- 
sior, eo promptius novellis adinventionibus contra- 



14 VlNCENTIl LIRINENSIS 

iret. Exemplis talibus plena sunt omnia. Sed ne 
longum fiat, unum aliquod, et hoc ab Apostolica 
potissimum sede sumemus : ut omnes luce clarius 
videant, beatorum Apostolorum beata successio 
quanta vi semper, quanto studio, quanta conten- 
tione defenderit susceptae semel religionis integrita- 
tem. Quondam igitur venerabilis memorise Agrip- 
pinus Carthaginensis Episcojms, primus omnium 
mortalium contra divinum canonem, contra univer- 
salis Ecclesiae regulam, contra sensum omnium 
consacerdotum, contra morem atque instituta ma- 
jorum rebaptizandum esse censebat. Quae prse- 
sumptio tantum mali invexit, ut non solum hsereticis 
omnibus formam sacrilegii, sed etiam quibusdam 
Catholicis occasionem praebuerit erroris. Cum 
ergo undique ad novitatem rei cuncti reclamarent, 
atque omnes quaquaversum Sacerdotes pro suo 
quisque studio reniterentur, tunc beatae memoriae 
Papa Stephanus, Apostolicce sedis Antistes, cum 
caeteris quidem collegis suis, sed tamen prae caeteris 
restitit : dignum, ut opinor, existimaus, si reliquos 
omnes tantum fidei devotione vinceret, quantum 
loci auctoritate superabat. Denique in Epistola, 
quaj tunc ad Africam missa est, his verbis sanxit, 
nihil novandmn, nisi quod traditum est. Intellige- 
bat etenim vir sanctus, et prudens, nihil aliud ra- 
tio nem pietatis admittere, nisi ut omnia, qua fide a 
Patribus suscepta forent, eadem fide filiis consig- 
narentur : nosque religionem, non qua vellemus 



ADVERSUS H-ERESES. 15 

ducere, sed potius qua ilia duceret, sequi oportere : 
idque esse proprium Christianae modestise et gra- 
vitatis, non sua posteris tradere, sed a Majoribus 
accepta sen^are. Quis ergo tunc universi negotii 
exitus ? quis utique nisi usitatus et solitus ? K.e- 
tenta est scilicet Antiquitas, explosa Novitas. 

Sed forte tunc ipsi noviticB adinventioni patroci- 
nia defuerunt. Imo vero tanta vis ingenii adfuit, 
tanta eloquentiae flumina, tantus adsertorum nume- 
rus, tanta veri similitudo, tanta divinae legis oracula, 
sed plane novo ac malo more intellecta, ut mihi 
omnis ista conspiratio nullo modo destrui potuisse 
videatur, nisi sola tanti moliminis causa ipsa ilia 
suscepta, ipsa defensa, ipsa laudata novitatis pro- 
fessio destituisset. Quid postremo ipsius Africani 
Concilii sive decreti quae vires? donante Deo, 
nullge, sed universa, tanquam fabulse, tanquam som- 
nia, tanquam superflua abolita, antiquata, calcata 
sunt. 

Et o rerum mira conversio ! Auctores ejusdem 
opinionis, Catholici : consectatores vero hseretici, 
judicantur. Absolvuntur magistri, condemnantur 
discipuli, conscriptores librorum filii regni erunt, 
assertores vero gehenna suscipiet. Nam quis ille 
tam demens est, qui illud sanctorum omnium, et 
Episcoporum, et Martyrum lumen, beatissimum 
Cyprianum, cum ceeteris collegis suis in geternum 
dubitet regnaturum esse cum Christo ? Aut quis 
contra tam sacrilegus, qui Donatistas et ceeteras 



16 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

pestes, quae illius auctoritate concilii rebaptizare 
se jactitant, in sempiternum neget arsuros esse 
cum diabolo ? 

VII. Quod quidem mihi divinitus videtur pro- 
mulgatum esse judicium, propter eorum maxime 
fraudulentiam, qui cum sub alieno nomine haeresin 
concinnare machinentur, captant plerumque veteris 
cujuspiam viri scripta paulo involutius edita, quae 
pro ipsa sui obscuritate dogmati suo quasi con- 
gruant: ut illud nescio quid, quodcunque profe- 
runt, neque primi, neque soli sentire videantur. 
Quorum ego nequitiam duplici odio dignam judico : 
vel eo, quod haereseos venenum propinare aliis non 
pertimescunt : vel eo etiam, quod sancti cujusque 
viri memoriam tanquam sopitos jam cineres pro- 
phana manu ventilant ; et quae silentio sepeliri opor- 
tebat, rediviva opinione diffamant : sequentes omni- 
no vestigia auctoris sui Cham, qui nuditatem vene- 
randi Noe, non modo operire neglexit, verum quo- 
que irridendam caeteris enunciavit. Unde tantam 
laesae pietatis meruit offensam, ut etiam posteri ip- 
sius peccati sui maledictis obligarentur : beatis illis 
fratribus multum longeque dissimilis, qui nudita- 
tem ipsam reverendi patris, neque suis temerare 
oculis, neque alienis patere voluerunt, sed aversi, 
ut scribitur, texerunt eum*: quod est, erratum 
sancti viri nee adprobasse, nee prodidisse : atque 

« Gen. ix. 22. 



ADVERSUS HJERESES. 17 

idcirco beata in posteros benedictione donati sunt. 
Sed ad propositnm redeamus. 

Magno igitur metu nobis immutatae fidei, ac 
temeratse religionis piaculum pertimescendum est, 
a quo nos non solum constitutionis Ecclesiasticae 
disciplina, sed etiam censura Apostolicfe deterret 
auctoritatis. S.cituna etenim cunctis est, quam 
graviter, quam severe, quam veliementer inveliatur 
in quosdam B. Apostolus Paulus, qui 7nira levitate 
nimium cito translati fuerant ah eo, qui eos vocaverat 
in gratiam Christi ; in aliud Evangelium ; quod 
non est aliud :^ qui coacervarant sibi magistros ad 
sua desideria : a veritate quidem auditum avertentes, 
conversi vero ad fahulas^ : habentes damnationem, 
quod primam fidem irritam fecisseni^. Quos de- 
ceperant ii, de quibus ad Romanos fratres scribit 
idem Apostolus : Rogo autem vos fratres, ut observe- 
tis eos, qui dissensiones et offendicula prceter doctri- 
nam, quam ipsi didicistis, faciunt, et declinate ah 
illis : hujusmodi enim Christo Domino non serviunt, 
sed suo ventri : et per dulces sermones et benedic- 
tiones seducunt corda innocentiumK Qui intrant 
per domos, et captivas ducunt mulierculas onera- 
tas peccatis, qucs ducuntur variis desideriis^: 
semper discentes, et ad scientiam veritatis nun- 
quam pervenientes. Vaniloqui et seductores^, qui 
universas domos subvertunt, docentes quce non 

f Gal. i. 7. 6 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4. M Tim. v. 12. 

'Rom. xvi. 17. ^2 Tim. iii. 6, 7. ' Tit. i. 10, 11. 

2 



18 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

oportet turpis lucri gratia. Homines corrupt! 
mente, reprohi circa fidem"" : superbi, et nihil scien- 
tes : sed languentes circa qucestiones et pugnas ver- 
boruTTi^, qui veritate privati sunt, existimantes quces- 
tum esse 2'>i^tatem° : simul autem et otiosi discunt 
circumire domos, non solum autem otiosi, sed et 
verbosi, et curiosi, loquentes quap non oportet; qui 
bonam conscientiam repellentes, circa fidem nau- 
fragaverunt^ ; quorum prophana vaniloquia multum 
projiciunt ad impietatem, et sernio eorum ut cancer 
serpifi. Bene autem, quod de iis item scribitur: 
sed vltra non proficient: insipientia enim eorum 
manifesta erit omnibus, sicut et illorumfuit^. 

VIII. Cum ergo tales quidam circumeuntes pro- 
vincias et civitates, atque errores venalitios circum- 
ferendo etiam ad Galatas devenissent : cumque his 
auditis Galatte nausea quadam veritatis adfecti, 
Apostolicae Catholicajque doctrina) manna revomen- 
tes, haereticae novitatis sordibus oblectarentur, ita 
sese Apostolical potestatis exseruit auctoritas, ut 
summa cum severitate decerneret : sed licet aut 
nos, inquit, aut angelus de ccelo evangelizet vobis, 
preeterquam quod evangelizavimus ; anathema sit. 
Quid est, quod ait, Sed licet nos? Cur non po- 
tius, sed licet ego ? Hoc est, etiamsi Petrus, 
etiamsi Andreas, etiamsi Johannes, etiamsi postre- 

•» 2 Tim. iii. 8. " 1 Tim. vi. 4, 5. ° 1 Tim. v. 13. 

Pi Tim. 1.19 i2Tim.ii. 16 '2 Tim. iii. 9. 



ADVERSUS H-ERESES. 19 

mo omnis Apostoloinim chorus evangelizet vobis, 
prseterquam quod evangelizavimus, anathema sit. 
Tiemenda disti-ictio ; propter adserendam primae 
fidei tenacitatem, nee sibi, nee ceeteris coapostohs 
pepercisse. Parum est. Etiamsi angehis, mquit, 
de ccelo evangelizet vobis, prceterquam quod evangeli- 
zavimus : anathema sit. Non sufFecerat ad custo- 
diam traditse semel fidei, humanse conditionis com- 
memorasse naturam, nisi angehcam quoque excel- 
lentiam comprehendisset. Licet nos, inquit, aut 
angelus de codo. Non quia sancti coelestesque 
angeh peccare jam possint, sed hoc est quod dicit : 
Si etiam, inquit, fiat quod non potest fieri ; quisquis 
ille traditam semel fidem mutare tentaverit : anathe- 
ma sit. 

Sed haec forsitan perfunctorie prffilocutus est, et 
humano potius efl['udit impetu, quam divina ratione 
decrevit. Absit. Sequitur enim, et hoc ipsum 
ingenti mohmine iteratse insinuationis inculcat : 
Sicut prcediximus, inquit, et nunc iterum dico : si 
quis vobis evangelizaverit praterquam quod acccp- 
istis, anathema, sit : Non dixit, Si quis vobis adnun- 
ciaverit, prseterquam quod accepistis, benedictus sit, 
laudetur, recipiatur: sed anathema sit, inquit, id 
est, separatus, segregatus, exclusus, ne unius ovis 
dirum contagium, innoxium gregem Christi ve- 
nenata permixtione contaminet*. 



20 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

IX. Sed forsitan Galatis ista tantum prsecepta 
sunt. Ergo et ilia soils Galatis imperata sunt, quae 
in ejusdem epistolae sequentibus commemorantur : 
qualia sunt haec : Si vivimus spiritu, spiritu et ambu- 
lemus. Non efficiamur inanis gloria cupidi ; invicem 
provocantes, invicem invidentcs. Et reliqua. Quod si 
absurdum est, et omnibus ex aequo imperata sunt, 
restat, ut sicut haec morum mandata, ita etiam ilia, 
quae de fide cauta sunt, omnes pari modo compre- 
hendant. 

Et sicuti nemini licet invicem provocare, aut 
invidere invicem, ita nemini liceat praeter id quod 
Ecclesia Catholica usquequaque evangelizat acci- 
pere. Aut forsitan tunc jubebatur, si quis adnun- 
ciasset, praeterquam quod annunciatum fuerat, ana- 
thematizari : nunc vero jam non jubetur. Ergo et 
illud quod item ibi ait : Dico autem, spiritu ambu- 
late, et desiderium carnis non perjicietis, tunc tantum 
jubebatur, modo vero jam non jubetur. Quod si 
impium pariter et perniciosum est ita credere, ne- 
cessario sequitur, ut sicut haec cunctis aetatibus 
observanda sunt, ita ilia quoque, quae de non 
mutanda fide sancita sunt, cunctis aetatibus im- 
perata sint: Adnunciare ergo aliquid Christianis 
Catholicis, prceter id quod acceperunt, nunquam 
licuit, nusquam licet, nunquam licehit : et anathema- 
tizare eos qui adnuncient aliquid, praeterquam quod 
semel acceptmn est, nunquam non oportuit, nusquam 
non oportet, nunquam non oportehit. Quae cum ita 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 21 

sint, estue aliqiiis vel tanttP aiidaci;e, qui pi-cTter id 
quod apud Ecclesiam adnuuciatum est, adnunciet : 
vel tanta? levitatis, qui prfeter id quod ab Ecclesia 
accepit, aceipiat ? Clauiat ; et repetendo clamat, 
et omnibus, et semper, et ubique per literas suas 
clamat ille vas electionis, ille magister gentium, ille 
Apostolorum tuba, ille terrarum pra^co, ille coelo- 
rum conscius, ut si quis novum dogma adnuncia- 
verit, anathematizetur. Et contra reclamant ranae 
quaedam, et cyniphes, et muscae moriturae, quales 
sunt Pelagiani, et hoc Catholicis : Nobis, inquiunt, 
auctoribus, nobis princijpibus, nobis expositoribus 
damnate qute tenebatis, tenete quce damnabatis, reji- 
cite antiquam fidem, paterna instituta, Majorum 
deposita, et recipite, quaenam ilia tandem ? Horreo 
dicere : sunt enim tam superba, ut mihi non modo 
adfirmari, sed ne refelli quidem sine aliquo piaculo 
posse videantur. 

X. Sed dicet aliquis. Cur ergo per s<^pe divini- 
tus sinuntur excellentes qucedam personce in Ecclesia 
constitutce res novas Catholicis adnunciare 1 Recta 
interrogatio, et digna quae diligentius atque uberius 
pertractetur : cui tamen non ingenio proprio, sed 
divinae legis auctoritate, Ecclesiastici magisterii 
documento satisfaciendum est. Audiamus ergo 
sanctum Moysen, et ipse nos doceat, cur docti viri, 
et qui propter scientiae gratiam ab Apostolo etiam 
Prop)het(^ nuncupantur, proferre interdum permit- 



22 VINCENTIl LIRI>'ENSIS 

tantur nova dogmata, quge vetus Testamentum 
allegorico sermone Deos alienos appellare con- 
suevit ; eo quod scilicet ita ab haereticis ipsorum 
opiniones, sicut a gentilibus dii sui observentur. 
Scribit ergo in D enter onomio beatus Moyses*: Si 
surrexerit, inquit, in medio tui propheta, aut qui 
somnium se vidisse dicat, id est, Magister in Eccle- 
sia constitutus, quern discipuli vel auditores sui ex 
aliqua revelatione docere arbitrentur. Quid deinde ? 
Et prt^dvcerit., inquit, signum atque portentum, et 
evenerit quod locutus est. Magnus profecto, nescio 
quis significatur Magister, et tantae scientise, qui 
sectatoribus propriis non solum quae humana sunt 
nosse, verum etiam quas supra hominem sunt prae- 
noscere posse videatur, quales fere discipuli sui jac- 
titant fuisse Valentinum, Donatum, Photinum, Apol- 
linarem, caeterosque ejusmodi. Quid postea? Et 
dixerit, inquit, tibi, eamus et sequamur Deos alienos, 
quos ignoras, et scrviamus eis. Qui sunt dii alieni, 
nisi errores extranei, quos ignorabas, id est novi et 
inauditi? Et serviamus eis, id est, credamus eis, 
sequamur eos. Quid ad extremum ? Non audies, 
inquit, verba Prophetce illius, aut somniatoris. Et, 
quare, oro te, a Deo non prohibetur doceri, quod a 
Deo prohibetur audiri? Quia, inquit, tentat vos 
Dominus Deus vester, ut palam fiat utrum diligatis 
eum an non, in toto corde, et in tota anima vestra. 
Luce clarius aperta causa est cur interdum divina 
tDeut. xiii. 1, et seq. 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 23 

providentia quosdam Ecclesiarum magistros, nova 
quaedam dogmata prsedicare patiatur; TJt tentet 
vos, inquit, Dominus Deus vester. Et profecto 
magna tentatio est, cmn ille quem tu prophetam, 
quern Prophetarum discipulum, quem doctorem 
et adsertorem veritatis putes, quem summa venera- 
tione et amore complexus sis, is subito latenter 
noxios subinducat errores, quos nee cito deprehen- 
dere valeas, dum antiqui magisterii ducevis praeju- 
dicio ; nee facile damnare fas ducas, dum magistri 
veteris praepediris affectu. 

XL Hie forsitan efflagitet aliquis, ut ea quae 
sancti Moysi verbis adserta sunt, ecclesiasticis 
aliquibus demonstrentur exemplis. ^Equa expos- 
tulatio, nee diu difi'erenda. Nam ut a proximis et 
manifestis incipiam, qualem fuisse nuper tenta- 
tionem putamus, cum infelix ille Nestorius subito 
«x ove conversus in lupum, gregem Christi lacerare 
coepisset ; cum eum hi ipsi qui rodebantur, ex mag- 
na adhuc parte ovem crederent, ideoque morsibus 
ejus magis paterent ? Nam quis eum facile errare 
arbitraretur, quem tanto imperii judicio electum, 
tanto sacerdotum studio prosecutum videret, qui 
cum magno sanctorum amore, summo populi favore 
c^lebraretur, quotidie pal am divina tractabat elo- 
quia, et noxios quosque Judaeorum et gentilium 
confutabat errores. Quo tandem iste modo non 
cuivis fidem faceret, se recta docere, recta prsedi- 



•24 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

care, recta sentire ? Qui ut uni haeresi suae aditum 
patefaceret, cunctarum haBreseon blasphemias in- 
sectabatur. Sed hoc erat illud quod Moyses 
ait. Tentat vos Dominus Deus vester, si diligatis 
eum. an non. Et ut Nestorium praetereamus, in 
quo plus semper admirationis, quam utilitatis, plus 
famae, quam experientiae fuit : quem opinione vulgi 
aliquamdiu magnum humana magis fecerat gratia, 
quam divina : eos potius commemoremus, qui 
multis profectibus, multaque industria praediti, non 
parvae tentationi Catholicis hominibus extiterunt : 
velut apud Pannonias majorum memoria Photinus 
Ecclesiam Sirmitanam tentasse memoratur. Ubi 
cum magno omnium favore in sacerdotium fuisset 
ascitus, et aliquandiu tanquam Catholicus adminis- 
traret : subito, sicut malus ille Propheta, aut som- 
niator, quem Moyses significat, creditam sibi plebem 
Dei persuadere coepit, ut sequeretur Deos alienos, 
id est, eiTores extraneos ; quos antea nesciebat. 
Sed hoc usitatum : illud vei'o perniciosum, quod ad 
tantum nefas non mediocribus adminicuHs utebatur. 
Nam erat et ingenii viribus valens, et doctrinae opi- 
bus excellens, et eloquio praepotens ; quippe qui 
utroque sermone copiose et graviter disputaret et 
scriberet : quod monumentis libromm suorum man- 
ifestatur, quos idem partim Graeco, partim Latino 
sermone composuit. Sed bene, quod commissi 
ipsi oves Christi, multum pro Catholica fide vigi- 
lantes, et cautae, cito ad praemonentis Moysi eloquia 



ADVERSUS H.ERESES. 25 

respexerunt, et Prophetae atque pastoris sui licet 
admirarentur eloquentiam, tentatiouem tamen non 
ignoi'arunt. Nam quern antea quasi arietem gregis 
sequebantur, eundem deinceps veluti lupum fugere 
cceperunt. Neque solum Photini, sed etiam Apol- 
linaris exemplo istius Ecclesiasticse tentationis peri- 
culum discimiis, et simul ad observandee diligentius 
fidei custodiam commonemm-. Etenim ipse audito- 
ribus suis magnos sestus, et magnas geueravit 
angustias : quippe cum eos hue Ecclesiae traheret 
auctoritas, hue magistri reti'aheret consuetudo : 
cumque inter utraque nutabundi et fluctuantes, 
quid potius sibi seligendum foret, non expedirent. 
Sed forsitan ejusmodi ille vir erat, qui dignus esset 
facile contemni. Imo vero tantus ac talis, cui nim- 
ium cito in plurimis crederetur. Nam quid illo 
prsestantius acumine, exercitatione, doctrina ? quam 
multas ille heereses multis voluminibus oppresserit, 
quot inimicos fidei confutaverit errores, indicio est 
opus illud triginta non minus librorum, nobilissi- 
mum ac maximum, quo insanas Porphyrii calum- 
nias magna probationum mole confudit. Longum 
est universa ipsius opera commemorare, quibus 
profecto summis eedificatoribus Ecclesiae par esse 
potuisset: nisi prophana ilia hcereticae curiositatis 
libidine novum nescio quid invenisset, quo et cunc- 
tos labores suos velut cujusdam leprae admixtione 
foedaret, et committeret ut doctrina ejus non tarn 
Eedificatio quam tentatio potius ecclesiastica dicere- 
tur. 



26 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

XII. Hie a me forsitan deposcatur, ut horum 
quos supra commemoravi exponam hsereses ; Nestorii 
scilicet, Apollinaris, et Photini. Hoc quidem ad 
rem, de qua nunc agimus, non attinet ; propositum 
etenim nobis est, non singulorum errores persequi, 
sed paucorum exempla proferre, quibus evidenter 
ac perspicue demonstretur iliud quod Moyses ait : 
Quia scilicet, si quando ecclesiasticus aliquis magis- 
ter, et ipse interpretandis prophetarum mysteriis 
propheta, novi quiddam in Ecclesiam Dei tentet 
inducere, ad tentationem id nostram fieri providen- 
tia divina patiatur. 

Utile igitur fuerit in excursu, quid supra memo- 
rati haeretici sentiant, breviter exponere, id est, 
Photinus, Apollinaris, Nestorius. Photini ergo 
secta h<ec est : Dicit Deum singulum esse et solita- 
rium, et more Judaico confitendum : Trinitatis 
plenitudinem negat, neque uUam Dei Verbi, aut 
ullam Spiritus sancti putat esse personam : Chris- 
tum vero hominem tantummodo solitarium adserit, 
cui principium adscribit ex Maria : et hoc omnimo- 
dis dogmatizat, solam nos personam Dei patris, et 
solum Christum hominem colere debere. Hsec 
ergo Photinus. AjJollinaris vero in unitate quidem 
Trinitatis quasi consentire se jactat, et hoc ipsum" 
plena fidei sanctitate : sed in Domini incarnatione 
aperta professione blasphemat. Dicit enim m ipsa 
Salvatoris nostri came, aut animam humanam peni- 

" non. Ed. Baluz. 



ADVERSUS H^RESES* 27 

tus non fuisse, aid certe talem fuisse, cui mens et 
ratio non esset. Sed et ipsam Domini camera, non 
de sanctae virginis Marias carne susceptam, sed de 
coelo in virginem descendisse dicebat : eamque 
nutabundus semper etdubius, modo coaeternam Deo 
Verbo, modo de Verbi divinitate factum praedica- 
bat. Nolebat enim in Christo esse duas substan- 
tias, unam divinam, alteram humanam : unam ex 
Patre, alteram ex matre : sed ipsam Verbi naturam 
putabat esse discissam : quasi aliud ejus permaneret 
in Deo, aliud vero versum fuisset in carnem : ut 
cum Veritas dicat ex duabus substantiis unum esse 
Christum, ille conti'arius veritati, ex una Christi 
divinitate duas asserat factas esse substantias. Hasc 
itaque Apollinaris. Nestorius autem contrario Apol- 
linari morbo, dum se duas in Christo substantias 
distinguere simulat, duas introducit repente person- 
as : et inaudito scelere duos vult esse filios Dei, 
duos CJiristos : unum Deum, alterum hominem : 
unum qui ex Patre, alterum qui sit generatus ex 
mati'e. Atque ideo asserit sanctam Mariam non 
Theotocon, sed Christotocon, esse dicendam : quia 
scilicet ex ea non ille Christus qui Deus, sed ille 
qui erat homo, natus sit. Quod si quis eum putat 
in literis suis unum Christum dicere, et unam 
Christi praedicare personam, non temere credat. 
Aut enim istud fallendi arte machinatus est, ut per 
bona facilius suaderet et mala : sicut ait Apostolus, 
Per bonum niihi ojperatus est mortem"^ : Aut ergo ut 

^' Rom. vii. 



28 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

diximus fraudulentiae causa quibusdam in locis 
scriptorum suorum unum Christum, et unam 
Cbristi personam credere se jactitat: aut certe post 
partum jam Virginis ita in unum Christum duas 
perhibet convenisse personas, ut tamen conceptus 
sen partus virginei tempore, et aliquant© postea ; 
duos Christos fuisse contendat ; ut cum scilicet 
Christus homo communis primum et solitarius na- 
tus sit, et nee dum Dei Verbo personae unitate 
sociatus, postea in eum adsumentis Verbi persona 
descenderit, et licet nunc in Dei gloria maneat ad- 
sumptus, aliquandiu tamen nihil inter ilium et 
caeteros homines interfuisse videatur. 

XIII. Hebc ergo Nestorius, Apollinaris, Photi- 
nus adversus Catholicam fidem rabidi canes latrant:" 
Photinus, Trinitatem non confitendo, Apollinaris 
converfibilem Verbi dicendo naturam, et duas in 
Chris to substantias non confitendo : et aut totarrt 
Christi animam, aut certe mentem atque rationem 
in anima denegando, et asserendo pro sensu mentis 
fuisse Dei Verbum : Nestorius duos Christos aut 
semper esse, aut aliquandiu fuisse adseverando. Ec- 
clesia vero Catholica, et de Deo, et de Salvatore 
nostro recta sentiens, nee in Trinitatis mysterium, 
nee in Christi incarnationem blasphemat : nam et 
unam divinitatem in Trinitatis plenitudine, et Trini- 
tatisaequalitatem in una atque eadem majestate 
veneratur, et unum Christum Jesum, non duos, 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 29 

eundemque Deum pariter atque liominem confite- 
tur. Unam quidem in eo personam, sed duas sub- 
stantias : duas substantias, sed unam credit esse 
personam : duas substantias quia mutabile non est 
Verbum Dei, ut ipsum verteretur in carnem : unam 
personam, ne duos profitendo filios, quaternitatem 
videatur colere, non Trinitatem. 

Sed operaB pretium est ut idipsum etiam atque 
etiam distinctius et expressius enucleemus. In 
Deo una substantia, sed tres persona3 : In Christo 
duae substantise, sed una persona: In Trinitate 
alius atque alius, non aliud atque aliud : in Salva- 
tore aliud atque aliud, non alius atque alius. Quo- 
modo in Trinitate alius atque alius, non aliud atque 
aliud ? Quia scilicet alia est persona Patris, alia 
Filii, alia Spiritus Sancti ; sed tamen Patris, et 
Filii, et Spiritus Sancti non alia et alia, sed una 
eademque natura. Quomodo in Salvatore aliud 
atque aliud, non alius atque alius ? Quia videlicet 
altera substantia divinitatis, altera humanitatis : sed 
tamen Deitas et humanitas non alter et alter, sed 
unus idemque Christus, unus idemque Filius Dei, 
et unius ejusdemque Christi et filii Dei una eadem- 
que persona ; sicut in homine aliud caro, et aliud 
anima : sed unus idemque homo, anima et caro : 
In Petro et Paulo aliud anima, aliud caro : nee ta- 
men duo Petri caro et anima, aut alter Paulus ani- 
ma, et alter caro ; sed unus idemque Petrus, unus 
idemque Paulus, ex duplici diversaque subsistens 
3 



30 VKNCENTII LIRINENSIS 

animi corporisque natura. Ita igitur in uno eodem- 
que Christo duae substantiae sunt : sed una divina, 
altera humana : una ex patre Deo, altera ex matre 
rirgine : una coseterna et aequalis Patri, altera ex 
tempore et minor Patre: una consubstantialis Pa- 
tri, altera consubstantialis matri, unus tamen idem- 
que Christus in utraque substantia. Non ergo 
alter Christus Deus, alter homo : non alter increa- 
tus, alter creatus : non alter impassibilis, alter pas- 
sibilis : non alter aequalis Patri, alter minor Patre : 
non alter ex Patre, alter ex matre, sed unus idem- 
que Christus Deus et homo : idem non creatus, et 
creatus, idem incommutabilis et impassibilis, idem 
commutatus et passus : idem Patri et aequalis, 
et minor : idem ex Patre ante saecula genitus, 
idem in saeculo ex matre generatus: perfectus 
Deus, perfectus homo : in Deo summa divinitas, in 
homine plena humanitas : Plena, inquam, humani- 
tas, quippe quae animam simul habeat et carnem : 
sed carnem veram, nostram, maternam : animam 
vero intellectu praeditam, mente ac ratione pollen- 
tern. Est ergo in Christo Verbum, anima, caro ; 
sed hoc totum unus est Christus, unus filius Dei, et 
unus Salvator ac redemptor noster. Unus autem, 
non corruptibili nescio qua divinitatis et humanitatis 
confusione, sed integra et singulari quadam unitate 
personae. Neque enim ilia conjunctio alterum in al- 
terum convertit atque mutavit (qui est error proprius 
Arrianorum); sed ita in unum potius utrumque com- 



ADVERSUS HJERESES. 31 

pegit, ut manente semper in Cliristo singularitale 
uniiis ejusdemque personee, in ceternum quoque per- 
maneatproprietas uniuscnjusque naturce, quo scilicet 
nee unquani Dens corpus esse incipiat, nee aliquando 
corpus, corpus esse desistat : quod etiam humane 
conditionis demonstratur exemplo : neque enim in 
praesenti tantum, sed in future quoque unusquisque 
hominum constabit ex coi-pore et anima: nee tamen 
unquam aut corpus in animam, aut anima vertetur 
in corpus, sed unoquoque hominum sine fine victu- 
ro, in unoquoque hominum sine fine necessario 
utriusque substantive differentia permanebit. Ita in 
Christo quoque utriusque substantias sua cuique in 
seternum proprietas, salva tamen personse unitate 
retinenda est. 

XIV. Sed cum personam saepius nominamus et 
dicimus, quod Deus per personam homo factus sit, 
vehementer verendum est, ne hoc dicere videamur, 
quod Deus Verbum sola imitatione actionis, quae 
sunt nostra susceperit, etquidquid iliud est conversa- 
tionis humanae, quasi adumbratus, non quasi verus 
homo fecerit : sicut in theatris fieri solet, ubi unus 
plures effingit repente personas, quarum ipse nulla 
est. Quotiescunque etenim aliqua suscipitur imi- 
tatio actionis alienae, ita aliorum officia aut opera 
patrantur, ut tamen hi qui agunt, non sint ipsi, 
quos agunt. Neque enim, ut verbi gratia secular- 
jum, et Manichaeorum utamur exemplis, cum actor 



32 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

tragicus Sacerdotem effingit, aut regem, sacerdos 
aut rex est : nam desinente actu, simul et ea quam 
susceperat persona desistit. Absit hoc a nobis nefa- 
rium scelestumque ludibrium. Manichseorum sit 
ista dementia, qui phantasiae prsedicatores, aiunt 
Filium Dei Deum, personam hominis non substan- 
tive extitisse, sed actu putativo quodam, et conver- 
satione simulasse. Catholica vero fides ita Verbum 
Dei hominem factum esse dicit, ut quae nostra sunt, 
non fallaciter et adumbrate, sed vere expresseque 
susciperet ; et quae erant humana, non quasi aliena 
imitaretur, sed potius ut sua gereret : et prorsus 
quod agebat, hoc etiam esset, quod agebat, is esset. 
Sicut ipsi nos quoque in eo quod loquimur, sapi- 
mus, vivimus, subsistimus, non imitamur homines, 
sed sumus. Neque enim Petrus et Johannes, ut eos 
potissimum nominem, imitando erant homines, sed 
subsistendo. Neque item Paulus simulabat Apos- 
tolum, aut fingebat Paulum, sed erat Apostolus, et 
subsistebat Paulus : Ita etiam Deus Verbum, adsu- 
mendo et habendo carnem, loquendo, faciendo, pa- 
tiendo per carnem, sine ulla tamen suae corruptione 
naturae hoc omnino praestare dignatus est, ut homi- 
nem perfectum non imitaretur aut fingeret, sed 
exhiberet: ut homo verus non videretur aut putare- 
tur, sed esset atque subsisteret. Igitur sicut anima 
connexa carni, nee in carnem tamen versa non imi- 
tatur hominem, sed est homo ; et homo non per 
simulationem, sed per substantiam : ita etiam Ver- 



ADVERSUS HJSRESES. 33 

bum Deus, absque ulla sui conversione, uniendo se 
liomini, non confundendo, non imitando factus est 
homo, sed subsistendo. Abjiciatur ergo tota peni- 
tus personae illius intelligentia, quae fingendo imita- 
tione suscipitur : ubi semper aliud est, et aliud 
simulatur : ubi ille qui agit, nunquam is est, quern 
agit. Absit etenim, ut hoc fallaci modo Deus Ver- 
bum hominis personam suscepisse credatur, sed ita 
potius, ut incommutabih sua manente substantia, et 
in se perfecti hominis suscipiendo naturara, ipse 
caro, ipse homo, ipse persona hominis existeret : 
non simulatoria, sed vera ; non imitativa, sed sub- 
stantiva ; non denique quae cum actione desisteret, 
sed quae prorsus in substantia permaneret. 

XV. Haec igitur in Christo personae unitas ne- 
quaquam post Virginis partum, sed in ipso Virginis 
utero compacta atque perfecta est. 

Vehementer enim pi'aecavere debemus ut Chris- 
tum non modo unum : sed etiam semper unum con- 
fiteamur : quia intolerauda blasphemia est, ut eti- 
amsi nunc eum unum esse concedas, ahquando 
tamen non unum, sed duos fuisse contendas, unum 
scihcet post tempus bajjtismatis, duos vero sub tem- 
pore nativitatis. Quod immensum sacrilegium non 
ahter profecto vitare poterimus, nisi unitum homi- 
nem Deo in unitate personae, non ab ascensu, vel 
resuiTectione, vel bapttsmo, sed jam in matre, jam 
in utero, jam denique in ipsa virginah conceptione 
3* 



34 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

fateamur : propter quam personae unitatem indiffer- 
enter ei atque promiscue, et quae Dei sunt propria, 
tribuuntur homini, et qusB carnis propria, ascribun- 
tur Deo. Inde est enim quod divinitas scriptum 
est : Etfilium hominis descendisse de calo, et Domi- 
num majestatis crucijixum in terra, inde etiam est, 
ut carne Domini facta, carne Domini creata, ipsum 
Verbum Dei factum, ipsa Sapientia Dei impleta sci- 
entia creata dicatur : sicut in praescientia manus ip- 
sius', et pedes ejus fossi esse referuntur : Per hanc, 
inquam, personas unitatem illud quoque similis mys- 
terii ratione profectum est, ut carne Verbi ex inte- 
gra matre nascente, ipse Deus Verbum natus ex 
virgine Catholicissime credatur, impiissime denege- 
tur. Qu8B cum ita sint, absit ut quisquam sanctam 
Mariam divinae graliae privilegiis, et speciali gloria 
fraudare conetur : Est enim singulari quodam Do- 
mini ac Dei nostri, filii autem sui munere, verissime 
ac beatissime llicotocos confitenda. Sed non eodem 
modo Theotocos, quo impia quaedam haeresis 
suspicatur, quae adserit eam Dei matrem sola ap- 
pellatione dicendam, quod eum scilicet pepererit 
hominem, qui postea factus est Deus, sicut dicimus 
Presbyteri matrem, aut Episcopi matrem, non jam 
Presbyterum aut Episcopum pariendo, sed eum 
generando hominem, qui postea Presbyter vel 
Episcopus factus est. Non ita, inquam, sancta 
Maria Theotocos : sed ideo potius, quoniam, ut 
* Psal. xxi. 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 35 

supra dictum est, jam in ejus sacrato utero sacro- 
sanctum illud mvsterium perpetratum est, quod 
propter singularem quandam, atque unicam per- 
sonaB unitatem sicut Verbum in carne caro, ita 
homo in Deo, Deus est. 

XVI. Sed jam ea, quae supra de memoratis 
hseresibus, vel de Catholica fide breviter dicta sunt, 
renovandge causa memoriae brevius strictiusque re- 
petamus : quo scilicet, et intelligantur iterata ple- 
nius, et firmius inculcata teneantur. Anathema 
igitur Photino, non recipienti plenitudinem Trinita- 
tis, et Christum hominem tantummodo sohtarium 
praedicanti. Anathema Apollinari, adserenti in 
Christo conversse divinitatis corruptionem, et aufe- 
renti perfectae humanitatis proprietatem. Anathe- 
ma Nestorio, neganti ex Virgine Deum natum, adse- 
renti duos Christos, et explosa Trinitatis fide, qua- 
ternitatem nobis introducenti. Beata vero Catho- 
lica Ecclesia, quae unum Deum in Trinitatis pleni- 
tudine, et item Trinitatis aequahtatem in una divi- 
nitate veneratur: ut neque singularitas substantias 
personarum confundat proprietatem, neque item 
Trinitatis distinctio unitatem separet Deitatis. Bea- 
ta, inquam, Ecclesia, quae in Christo duas veras 
perfectasque substantias, sed unam Christi credit 
esse personam ; ut neque naturarum distinctio uni- 
tatem personae dividat, neque item person^e unitas 
difFerentiam confundat substantiarum ; Beata, in- 



36 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

quam, Ecclesia, quae ut unum semper Christum 
et esse, et fuisse fateatur, unitum hominem Deo 
non post partum, sed jam in ipso matris utero 
confitetur. Beata, inquam, Ecclesia, quae Deum 
factum hominem, non conversione naturae, sed 
persons ratione intelhgit. Personae autem non 
simulatoricB et transeuntis, sed substantivae ac 
permanentis. Beata, inquam, Ecclesia, quae hanc 
personae unitatem tantam vim habere praedicat, ut 
propter eam miro ineffabilique mysterio et divina 
homini, et Deo adscribat humana. Nam propter 
eam et hominem de coelo secundum Deum descen- 
disse non abnegat, et Deum secundum hominem 
credit in teiTa factum, passum, et crucifixum. 
Propter eam denique et hominem Dei fihum, et 
Deum fihum virginis confitetur. Beata, igitur ac 
veneranda, benedicta, et sacrosancta, et omnino 
supernae ilh angelorum laudationi comparanda con- 
fessio, quae, unum Dominum Deum trina sanctifi- 
catione glorificat. Idcirco enim vel maxime unita- 
tem Christi praedicat, ne mysterium Trinitatis ex- 
cedat. Haec in excursu dicta sint, ahas, si Deo 
placuerit, uberius tractanda et exphcanda. Nunc 
ad propositum redeamus. 

XVII. Dicebamus ergo in superioribus, quod in 
Ecclesia Dei tentatio esset populi, error magistri: et 
tanto major tentatio, quanto ipse esset doctior, qui 
erraret. Quod primum scripturae auctoritate, deinde 



ADVERSUS H^RESES, o7 

Ecclesiasticis docebamus exemplis: eorum scilicet 
commemoratione, qui cum aliquandiu saiise fidei 
forent habiti, ad extremuni tamen, aut in alienam 
decidissent sectam, aut ipsi suam haeresim condidis- 
sent. Magna profecto res et ad discendum utilis, 
et ad recolendum necessaria, quam etiam atque etiam 
exemplorum molibus illustrare atque inculcare 
debemus : ut omnes vere Catliolici noverint, se cum 
Ecclesia doctores recipere^ non cum Doctoribus Ec- 
clesice Jidem deserere debere. Sed ego ita arbiti'or, 
quod cum multos in hoc tentandi genere proferre 
valeamus, nemo pene sit, qui Origenis tentationi 
valeat comparari, in quo plura adeo praeclara, adeo 
singularia, adeo mira exstiterunt, ut inter initia 
habendam cunctis adsertionibus ejus fidem, quivis 
facile judicaret. Nam si vita facit auctoritatem, 
magna illi industria, magna pudicitia, patientia, tol- 
erantia ; si genus vel eruditio, quid eo nobilius, qui 
primum in ea domo natus est, quae est illustrata 
martyrio, deinde pro Christo non solum patria, sed 
omni quoque facultate privatus, tantum inter sanc- 
tae paupertatis profecit angustias, ut pro nomine 
dominicae confessionis saepius, ut ferunt, adfligere- 
tur ? Neque vero haec in illo sola erant, quae 
cuncta postea tentationi forent; sed tanta etiam 
vis ingenii, tam profundi, tam acris, tam elegantis, 
ut omnes pene multum longeque superarit; tanta 
doctrinae, ac totius eruditionis magnificentia, ut 
pauca forent divinae, pene fortasse nulla humanae 



38 VIXCEXTII LIRINENSIS 

philosophias, quae non penitus adsequeretiir. Ciijus 
scientiae, cum Grceca concederent, Hehrcea quoque 
elaborata sunt. Eloquentiam vero quid memorem ? 
cujus fuit tain amoena, tarn lactea, tam dulcis oratio 
ut mihi ex ore ipsius non tam verba, quam mella 
quaedam fluxisse videantur. Quae non ille persuasu 
difficilia, disputandi viribus elimpidavit? quae faetu 
ardua non ut facillima viderentur effecit ? Sed 
forsitan argumentorum tantummodo nexibus adser- 
tiones suas texuit. Imo plane nemo unquam Ma- 
gistrorum fuit, qui pluribus divine legis uteretur 
exemplis. Sed credo pauca conscripsit : Nemo 
mortalium plura ; ut mihi sua omnia non solum non 
perlegi, sed ne inveniri quidem posse videantur. 
Cui ne quidquam ad scientiae instrumenta deesset, 
etiam plenitudo exabundavit aetatis. Sed forsitan 
discipulis parum felix. Quis unquam felicior ? 
Nempe innumeri ex sinu suo doctores, innumeri 
Sacerdotes, Confessores, et Martyres exstiterunt. 
Jam vero quanta apud omnes illius admiratio, quanta 
gloria ! quanta gratia fuerit, quis exsequi valeat ? 
Quis non ad eum paulo religiosior ex ultimis mundi 
partibus advolavit ? Quis Christianorum non pene 
ut Prophetam, quis Philosophorum non ut magis- 
trum veneratus est ? Quam autem non solum 
privatae conditioni, sed ipsi quoque fuerit reve- 
rendus Imperio, declarant historic, quae eum a 
matre Alexandri Imperatoris accitum ferunt, coel- 
estis utique sapientiae merito, cujus et ille gratia et 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 39 

ilia amore flagrabat^ Sed et ejusdein epistolye tes- 
timonium perhibent, quas ad Philippum Imperato- 
rem, qni primus Romanorum Principum Christian- 
us fuit, Christiani magisterii auctoritate conscripsit. 
De cujus incredibili quadam scientia, si quis refer- 
entibus nobis Christiauum non accipit testimonium, 
saltern testificantibus Philosophis gentilem recipiat 
confessionem. Ait namque impius ille Porphyrius, 
excitum se fama ipsius Alexandriam fere puerum 
perrexisse, ibique eum vidisse jam senem, sed plane 
talem tantumque qui arcem totius scientiae condi- 
disset. Dies me citius defecerit, quam ea quae in 
illo viro prseclara exstiterunt, vel ex minima saltern 
parte perstringam ; quae tamen omnia non solum 
ad religionis gloriam, sed etiam ad tentationis mag- 
nitudiuem pertinebant. Quotus enim quisque tanti 
iugenii, tantae doctrinsB tantae gratise virum aut facile 
deponeret, ac non potius ilia uteretur sententia, se 
cum Origene errare malle, quam cum aliis vera sen- 
lire? Et quid plura? Eo res decidit, ut tantae 
personae, tanti doctoris, tanti Prophetae, non hu- 
mana aliqua, sed ut exitus docuit, nimium periculosa 
tentatio plurimos a fidei integritate deduceret. 
Quamobrem hie idem Origenes tantus ac talis dum 
gratia Dei insolentius abutitur, dum ingeuio sue 
nimium indulget, sibique satis credit, cum parvi 
pendit antiquam Christianse religionis simplicitatem, 
dum se plus cunctis sapere praesumit, dum Eccle- 
siasticas traditiones et veterum magisteria contem- 



40 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

nens, qusedam scripturarnm capitnla novo more 
interpretatur, meruit ut de se quoque Ecclesise 
Dei diceretur : Si surrexerit in medio tui Propheta. 
E t paulo post : Non audies, inquit, verba Prophetee 
illius. Et item: quia tentat vos, inquit, Dominus 
Deus vester, utrum diligatis eum, an non. vere non 
solum tentatio sed etiam magna tentatio, deditam 
sibi atque in se pendentem Ecclesiam admiratione 
ingenii, scientiae, eloquentise, conversationis, et 
gratise, nihil de se suspicantem, nihil verentem, 
subito a veteri religione in novam prophanita- 
tem sensim paulatimque traducere. Sed dicet 
aliquis corruptos esse Origenis libros: Non re- 
sisto, quin potius et malo ; nam id a quibusdam et 
traditum, et scriptum est, non Catholicis tantum, 
sed etiam hsereticis. Sed illud est quod nunc 
debemus advertere, etsi non ipsum, lihros tamen sub 
nomine suo editos, magnce esse tentationi : qui multis 
blasphemiarum vulneribus scatentes, non ut alieni, 
sed quasi sui et leguntur et amantur: ut etsi in 
errore concipiendo Origenis non fuit sensus ad 
errorem tamen persuadendum Origenis auctoritas 
valere videatur. 

XVIII. Sed et Tertulliani quoque eadem ratio 
est ; nam sicut ille apud Graecos, ita hie apud Lati- 
nos nostrorum omnium facile princeps judicandus 
est. Quid enim hoc viro doctius ? quid in divinis, 
atque humanis rebus exercitatius ? Nempe omnem 



ADVERSUS HiERESES. 41 

philosophiam, et cmictas Pliilosophoriim sectas, 
auctores, adsertoresque sectarum, omnesque eorum 
disciplinas, onineni liistoriaruin ac studiorum varie- 
tatem, mira quadam mentis capacitate complexus 
est. Ingenio vero nonne tain gravi ac vehementi 
excelluit, ut nihil sibi pene ad expuguandum pro- 
posuerit, quod non aut acumine irruperit, aut pon- 
dere eliserit ? Jam porro orationis sufe laudes quis 
exequi valeat ? Quce tanta nescio qua rationum 
necessitate conserta est, ut ad consensum sui quos 
suadere non potuerit, impellat: cujus quot pene 
T^erba, tot sententice, sunt, quot sensus, tot victorice. 
Sicunt hoc Marciones, Apelles, Praxeae, Hermo- 
genes, Judaei, Gentiles, Gnostici, caeterique ; quo- 
rum ille blasphemias multis ac magnis voluminum 
suorum molibus, velut quibusdam fulminibus evertit. 
Et tamen hie quoque post hsec omnia, hie, inquam, 
Tertullianus, Catholici dogmatis, i. e. universalis 
ac vetustae fidei parum tenax, ac disertior multo, 
quam fidelior, mutata deinceps sententia fecit ad 
extremum, quod de eo beatus confessor Hilarius 
quodam loco scribet; sequenti, inquit, errore detraxit 
scrijptis prohahilihus auctoritatem. Et fuit ipse quo- 
que in Ecclesia magna tentatio. Sed de hoc nolo 
plura dicere. Hoc tantum commemorabo, quod 
contra Moysi prseceptum, exsurgentes in Ecclesia 
novellas Montani furias, et insana ilia insanarum 
mulierum novitii dogmatis somnia, veras prophetias 
adseverando, meruit, ut de se quoque et scripturis 
4 



42 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

suis diceretur: Si surrexerit in medio tui ])ropTiela 
Et mox. Non audits verha ProphetcB illius. 
Quare ? Quia, inquit, tentat vos Dominus Deus 
vester, utrum diligatis cmwi, an non. 

XIX. His igitur tot ac tantis, caeterisque ejus- 
modi Ecclesiasticorum exemplorum molibus evi- 
denter advertere, et secundum Deuteronomii leges 
luce clarius intelligere debemus; quod si quando 
aliquis Ecclesiasticus Magister a fide aberraverit, ad 
tentationem id nostram fieri providentia divina pati- 
atur ; utrum diligamus Deum an non, in toto corde, 
et in tota anima nostra, 

XX. Quae cum ita sint, ille est verus et ger- 
manus Catholicus, qui veritatem Dei, qui Ec- 
clesiara, qui Christi corpus diligit, qui divinaB 
religioni, qui Catholicae fidei nihil praeponit; non 
hominis cujuspiam auctoritatem, non amorem, non 
ingenium, non eloquentiam, non philosophiam ; sed 
haec cuncta despiciens, et in fide fixus, et stabilis 
permanens, quicquid universaliter antiquitus Eccle- 
siam Catholicam tenuisse cognoverit, id solum sibi 
tenendum credendumque decernit; quicquid vero 
ab aliquo deinceps uno, praeter omnes, vel contra 
omnes Sanctos novum et inauditum subinduci sen- 
serit, id non ad religionem, sed ad tentationem 
potius intelligat pertinere, turn praecipue beati 
Apostoli Pauli eruditus eloquiis: hoc est enim 



ADVERSUS HiERESES. 43 

quod m jyyima ad Corinthios scribit: Ojjortet, inquit, 
€t hcereses esse, ut prohati manifesti jiant in vobis. 
Ac si diceret : ob hoc liaereseou non statirn divinitus 
eradicantur auctores, ut probati mauifesti fiant, id 
est, ut unusquisque quain tenax et fidelis, et fixus 
CatholicEe fidei sit amat^Dr, appareat. Et levera 
cum quceque novitas ebullit, statirn cernitur frumento- 
rum gravitas, et levitas iJcdearum : tunc sine magno 
molimine excutitur ab area, quod nullo pondere 
intra aream tenebatur. Namque alii illico prorsus 
avolant, alii vero tantummodo excussi, et perire 
metuunt, et redire erubescunt, saucii, semineces^ 
semivivi, quippe qui tanto^n veneni hauserint quanti- 
tatem, quee nee occidat, nee digeratur : nee mori cogat, 
nee vivere sinat. Heu miseranda conditio, quantis 
ille cui-arum aestibus, quantis turbinibus exagitan- 
tur ? Nunc etenim qua ventus impulerit, incitato 
errore rapiuntur: nunc in semetipsos reversi, tan- 
quam contrarii fiuctus, reliduntur: nunc terneraria 
prsesumptione ea quae incerta videntur, approbant : 
nunc irrationali metu etiam quje certa sunt expaves- 
cunt : incerti qua eant, qua redeant : quid appetant, 
quid fugiant, quid teneant, quid dimittant. Quse 
quidem dubii et male peuduli cordis afflictio, divinae 
erga se miserationis est medicina, si sapiant. Idcirco 
etenim extra tutissimum Catliolicse fidei portum 
diversis cogitationum quatiuntur, verberantur, ac 
l^ene necantur procellis, ut excussa in altum elatae 
mentis vela deponant, quge male uovitatum ventis 



44 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

expanderant, seseque intra fidissimam stationem 
placidae ac bona3 matris reducant et teneant, atque 
amaros illos turbulentosque errorum fluctus primi- 
tus revomant, ut possint deinceps vivse et salientis 
aqua3 fluenta potare. Dediscant bene, quod didice- 
runt non bene : et ex toto Ecclesise dogmate quod 
intellectu capi potest, capiant, quod non potest, 
credant. 

XXI. Quae cum ita sint, iterum atque iterum 
eadem mecum revolvens et reputans, mirari satis 
nequeo tantam quorundam hominum vesaniam, tan- 
tam excfficatae mentis impietatem, tantam postremo 
en-andi libidinem, ut contenti non sint tradita semel 
et accepta antiquitus credendi regula, sed nova ac 
nova in diem quaerant, semperque aliquid gestiant 
religioni addere, mutare, detrahere. Quasi non 
coeleste dogma sit, quod semel revelatum esse suffi- 
ciat, sed tcrrena institutio, quse aliter perfici, nisi 
assidua emendatione, imo potius reprehensione non 
possit : cum divina clament oracula : Ne trans/eras 
terminos quos posuerunt 2^o,tres tui^. Et: super 
judicantem ne judices^. Et : Scindentem sepeniy 
mordehit eum ser2)ens^. Et iliud Apostolicum, quo 
omnes omnium haereseon sceleratae novitates, velut 
quodam spirituali gladio saepe truncatae semperque 
truncandae sunt: O Tiijwthee, dejjositum custodi^ 
devitans prophanas vocum novitateSy et ojJpositiones 

y Prov. xxii. ^ Ecclus. viii. » Eccles. x. 



ADVERSUS II^RESES. 45 

falsi nomhns scienti(S, quam quiclam p-omittentes, 
circa fidem exciderunt^. Et post liaec inveniuntur 
aliqui tanta inveteratse frontis duritia, tanta impu- 
dentice incude, tanto adamante pertinacise, qui tantis 
eloquiorum coelestium molibus non siiccmnbant, 
tantis ponderibus non fatiscant, tantis malleis non 
conquassentur, tantis posti'emo fulminibus non cou- 
terautur ? Devita, inquit, pro^hanas vocum novi- 
tates: Non dixit autiquitates, non dixit vetiistates, 
imo plane quid e contrario sequeretur, ostendit. 
Nam si vitanda est novitas, tenenda est antiquitas : 
et si prophana est novitas, sacrata est vetustas : Et 
oppositiones, inquit falsi nominis scientiiE. Vere 
falsum nomen apud doctrinas hsereticorum, ut igno- 
rantia scientise, et caligo serenitatis, et tenebrae lumi- 
nis appellatione fucentur. Quam quidayji, inquit, 
promittentes, circa fidem exciderunt. Quid promit- 
tentes exciderunt, nisi novam nescio quam, igno- 
ratamque doctrinam ? Audias etenim quosdam ipso- 
rum dicere : venite, o insipientes, et miseri, qui vulgo 
Catholici vocitamini, et discite fidem veram, quam 
prceter nos nullus intelligit, quce multis ante seculis 
latuit, nuper vero revelata et ostensa est : sed discite 
furtim atque secretim, delectahit enim vos. Et item 
cum didiceritisj latenter docete : ne mundus audiat 
nee Ecclesia sciat : paucis namque concessum est tanti 
mysterii capere secretum. Nonne hsec verba sunt 
illius meretricis, quae apud Salomonis Proverhia 
vocat ad se preetereuntes viam, qui- dirigunt iter 
b 1 Tim. vi. 20. 



46 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

suum? Qui est, inquit, vestrum insipientissimus, 
divertat ad me. Inopes autem sensu exhortatur, 
dicens: Panes occultos lihenter attingite, et aquam 
dulcem furtim hibite. Quid deinde ? At ille inquit, 
nescit quoniam terrigence. apud earn pereant. Qui 
sunt isti terrigenae ? Exponat Apostolus, Qui circa 
fidem, nqtiit, exciderunt. 

XXII. Sed operap pretium est totum ipsum 
Apostoli capitulum diligentius perti'actare. O Tim- 
othee, inquit, dcpositum custodi, devitans proj'thanas 
vocum novitates. O, exclamatio ista, et praescientiae 
est pariter et charitatis: praevidebat enim futures, 
quos etiam praedolebat, errores. Quis est hodie 
Timotheus, nisi vel generaliter universa Ecclesia, 
vel specialiter totum corpus Prapositorum, qui 
integram divini cultus scientiam vel habere ipsi 
debent, vel aliis infundere ? Quid est dejJositum 
custodi 1 Custodi, inquit, propter fures, propter 
inimicos ; ne dormientibus hominibus supersemi- 
nent zizania super illud tritici bonum semen, quod 
seminaverat filius hominis in agro suo. Deposxtum^ 
inquit, custodi. Quid est depositum ? id est, quod 
tibi creditum est, non quod a te inventum : quod 
accepisti, non quod excogitasti : rem non ingenii, 
sed doctrinae : non usurpationis privatae sed publica? 
traditionis : rem ad te perductam, non a te prola- 
tam: in qua non auctor debes esse, sed custos : non 
institutor, sed sectator : non ducens, sed sequens. 



ADVERSUS HiERESES. 47 

Depositum, inquit, custodi : Catholics fidei talen- 
tum inviolatum illibatumque conserva. Quod tibi 
creditum est, hoc penes te maneat, hoc a te trada- 
tur. Aurum accepisti, aurum redde : nolo mihi 
pro ahis alia subjicias : nolo pro auro aut impuden- 
ter plumbum, aut fraudulenter seramenta supponas : 
nolo auri speciem, sed naturam plane. O Tmio- 
thee, o Sacerdos, o Tractator, o Doctor, si te divi- 
num munus idoneum fecerit, ingenio, exercitatione, 
doctrina, esto spiritualis tabernaculi Beseleel, pretio- 
sas divini dogmatis gemmas exsculpe, fideliter 
coapta, adorna sapienter, adjice splendorem, gratiam, 
venustatem. Intelligatur te exponente illusti'ius, 
quod anter obscurius credebatur. Per te posteritas 
intellectum gratuletur, quod ante vetustas non intel- 
lectum venerabatur : eadem tamen quae didicisti ita 
doce, ut cum dicas nove non dicas nova. 

XXIII. Sed forsitan dicit aliquis : Nullusne ergo 
in Ecclesia Christi j^fofectus habehitur religionis ? 
Habeatur plane, et maximus. Nam quis ille est 
tam invidus hominibus, tam exosus Deo, qui istud 
prohibere conetur? Sed ita tamen, ut vereprq/ec- 
tus sit ille fidei, non permutatio. Siquidem ad pro- 
fectum pertinet, ut in semetipsa unaquseque res am- 
plificetur : ad permutationem vero, ut aliquid ex alio 
in aliud transvertatur. Crescat igitur oportet, et 
multum vehementerque proficiat, tam singulorum, 
quam omnium, tam unius hominis, quam totius 



48 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

Ecclesiac [etatum, ac seculorum gradibus intelli- 
gentia, scientia, sapientia : sed in suo duntaxat 
genere, in eodem scilicet dogmate, eodem sensu, 
eademque sententia. 

Imitetur animarum religio rationem corporum, 
quae licet annorum processu numeros suos evolvant, 
et explicent, eadem tamen qua? erant permanent. 
Multum interest inter pueritiae florem, et senectutis 
maturitatem, sed iidem tamen ipsi fiunt senes, qui 
fuerant adolescentes : ut quamvis unius ejusdemque 
hominis status habitusque mutetur, una tamen 
nihilominus eademque natura, una eademque per- 
sona sit. Parva lactentium membra, magna juven- 
um : eadem ipsa sunt tamen. Quot parvulorum 
artus, tot virorum : et siqua ilia sunt, quae aevi matu- 
rioris aetate pariuntur, jam in seminis ratione pro- 
serta sunt: ut nihil novum postea proferatur in 
senibus, quod non in pueris jam antea latitaverat. 
Unde non dubium est, hanc esse legitimam et rectam 
proficiendi regulam, hunc ratum atque pulcherri- 
mum crescendi ordinem ; si eas semper in grandi- 
oribus partes ac formas numerus detexat setatis, quas 
in parvulis creatoris sapientia praeformaverat. Quod 
si humana species in aliquam deinceps non si gene- 
ris vertatur effigiem, aut certe addatur quippiam 
membrorum numero, vel detrahatur, necesse est ut 
totum corpus vel intercidat, vel prodigiosum fiat, 
vel certe debilitetur. Ita etiam Christianae re- 
ligionis dogma sequatur has decet profectum leges : 



ADVERSUS HiERESES. 49 

ut annis scilicet consolidetur, dilatetur tempore, 
sublimetiir setate : incorriiptum tamen, illibatumque 
permaneat, et iiniversis partium suariim mensuris, 
cimctisque quasi membris ac sensibiis propriis ple- 
num atque perfectum sit : quod nihil praeterea per- 
mutationis admittat, nulla proprietatis dispendia, 
nullam sustineat definitionis varietatem. 

Exempli gratia : severunt Majores uosti'i antiqui- 
tus in liac E cclesiastica segete tritice^e fidei semina : 
iniquuni valde et incongruum est, ut nos eorum 
posteri pro germana veritate frumenti, subdititium 
zizanice legamus errorem. Quin potius hoc rectum 
et consequens est, ut primis atqiie extremis sibimet 
non discrepantibus de incrementis ti'iticeae institu- 
tionis triticei quoque dogmatis frugem demetamus : 
ut cum aliquid ex illis seminum primordiis accessu 
temporis evolvatur, et nunc Isetetur et excolatur, 
nihil tamen de germinis proprietate mutetur, adda- 
tur licet forma, species, distinctio, eadem tamen cu- 
jusque generis natura permaneat: Absit etenim, ut 
Rosea ilia Catholici sensus plantaria, in carduos 
spinasque vertajitur. Absit, inquam, ut in ipso spir- 
itali paradiso, de cynamomi et halsami surculis, loli- 
um repente atque aconita proveniant. Quodcunque 
igitur in hac Ecclesia, Dei agricultura, fide pa- 
trum satum est, hoc idem filiorum industria decet 
excolatur, et observetur, hoc idem floreat et ma- 
turescat, hoc idem proficiat et perficiatur. Fas est 
etenim, ut prisca ilia ccelestis philosophi<^ dogmata 



50 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

processu temporis excurentur, limentur, looliantur : 
sed nefas est, ut commutentur, nefas ut detruncentur, 
ut mutilentur. Accipiant licet evidentiam, lucem, 
distinctionem : sed retineant necesse est plenitudi- 
nem, integritafem, proprietatem. 

Nam si semel admissa fuerit haec impise fraudis 
licentia, horreo dicere, quantum exsciudend* atque 
abolendgs religionis periculum consequatur. Abdi- 
cata etenbn qualibet parte Catholici dogmatis, alia 
quoque atque item alia, ac deinceps alia et alia jam 
quasi ex more et licito ahdicabuntur. Porro autem 
singulatim partibus repudiatis, quid aliud ad extre- 
mum sequetur, nisi ut totum pariter repudietur ? 
Sed e contra, si novitia veteribus, extranea domes- 
ticis, et prophana sacratis admisceri coeperint, pro- 
serpat hie mos in universum necesse est, ut nihil 
posthac apud Ecclesiam rehnquatur intactum, nihil 
illibatum, nihil integrum, nihil immaculatum, sed 
sit ibidem deinceps impiorum ac turpium errorum 
lupanar, ubi erat ante casta? et incorruptoe sacrarium 
veritalis. >Sed avertat hoc a suorum mentibus nefas 
divina pietas, sitque hie potius impiorum furor. 

Christ! vero Ecclesia sedulaet cauta depositorum 
apud se dogmatum eustos, nihil in iis unquam per- 
mutat, nihil minuit, nihil addit ; non amputat neces- 
saria, non apponit superflua; non amittit sua, non 
usurpat aliena; sed omnia industria hoc unum studet, 
ut Vetera fideliter sapienterque tractando, siqua sunt 
ilia antiquitus informata et inchoata, accuret et 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 51 

poliat ; siqna jam expressa et enucleata, consolidet, 
firmet; siqua jam confinnata et definita, custodiat : 
Denique quid unquam aliiid Conciliorum decretis 
enisa est, nisi ut quod antea simpliciter credebatur, 
hoc idem postea diligentius crederetm- ? quod antea 
lentius prcedicabatur, hoc idem postea instantiuspraj- 
dicaretur ? quod antea securius colebatur, hoc idem 
postea solhcitius excoleretur? Hoc, inquam, sem- 
per, neque quicquam praeterea, heereticorum novi- 
tatibus excitata, Conciliorum suorum decretis Cath- 
ohca perfecit Ecclesia, nisi ut quod prius a majori- 
bus sola traditione susceperat, hoc deinde posteris 
etiam per scripturse chirographum consignaret : 
magnam rerum summam paucis hteris comprehen- 
dendo : et plerunque propter intelhgentiee lucem, 
non novum fidei sensum, novae appellationis proprie- 
tate signando. 

XXIV. Sed ad Apostolum redeamus : O Timo- 
thee, inquit, depositum custodi, devitans projjhanas 
vocum novitates : devita, inquit, quasi viperam, quasi 
scorpionem, quasi basiliscum: ne te non solum tactu, 
sed etiam visu, afflatuque percutiant. Quid est 
devitare? Cum hujosmodi nee cibum sumere. 
Quid est devita? Si quis, inquit, venit ad vos^ et 
hanc doctrinam non adfert.'' Quam doctrinam? 
nisi Catholicam, et universalem, et unam eandem- 
que per singulas setatum successiones incorrupta 
veritatis traditione manentem, et usque in secula 
<^2 Jo. 10. 



52 VINCENTII LlRINENSIS 

sine fine mansuram ? quid turn ? Nolite, inquit, 
recipere eum in domum^ nee Ave ei dixeritis : qui 
enim dicit illi Ave communicat operihus ejus malignis. 
Prophanas, inquit, vocum novitates. Quid est pro- 
phanas ? Quee nihil habent sacri, nihil religiosi, ab 
Ecclesise peuetralibus, quae est templum Dei, peni- 
tus extraneas. Prophanas, inquit, vocum novitates : 
Vocum, id est, dogmatum, rerum, sententiarum nov- 
itates : quae sunt vetustati, atque antiquitati contra- 
riae. Quaj si recipiantur necesse est, ut fides beato- 
rum Patrum, aut tota, aut certe magna ex parte 
violetur : necesse est, ut omnes omnium SEtatum 
fideles, omnes sancti, omnes casti, continentes, vir- 
gines, omnes Clerici, Levitse et Sacerdotes, tanta 
Confessorum millia, tanti Martyrum exercitus, tan- 
ta urbium, tanta populorum celebritas et multitudo, 
tot Insulse, Provinciae, Reges, Gentes, Regna, Na- 
tiones, totus posti'emo jam pene terrarum orbis per 
Catholicam fidem Christo Capiti incorporatus, tanto 
seculorum tractu ignorasse, errasse, blasphemasse, 
nescisse quid crederet, pronuncietur. 

Prophanas, inquit, vocum novitates devita, quas 
recipere atque sectari nunquam Catholicorum, sem- 
per vei'o haereticorum fuit. Et revera, quae un- 
quam haeresis, nisi sub certo nomine certo loco, 
certo tempore ebullivit ? Quis unquam haeresis 
instituit, nisi qui se prius ab Ecclesiae Cath- 
olicae universitatis et antiquitatis consensione dis- 
creverit ? Quod ita esse, luce clarius exempla 



J 



ADVERSUS HJERESES. $3 

demonstrant. Quis euim imquam ante prophanum 
ilium Pelaghnn tantam virtutem liberi prsesumpsit 
arbitrii, ut ad hoc in bonis rebus per actus singulos 
adjuvandum, uecessariam Dei gratiam non putaret ? 
Quis ante prodigiosum discipulum ejus Calestium 
reatu praevaricationis Adae omne genus liumanum 
deuegavit astrictum ? Quis ante sacrilegum Arrium, 
Trinitatis unitatem discindere, quis ante sceleratum 
Sabellium Unitatis Trinitatem confundere, ausus 
est ? Quis ante crudelissimum Novatianum, cru- 
delem Deum dixit : eo quod mallet mortem morien- 
tis, quam ut revertatur et vivat ? Quis ante Magum 
Simonem, Apostolica districtione percussum, a quo 
vetus ille turpitudinum gurges usque in novissimum 
Priscillianum continua et occulta successione man- 
avit, auctorem malorum, id est, scelerum, impieta- 
tum, flagitiorumque nosti'orum, ausus est dicere 
creatorem Deum ? Quippe quem adserit talem 
hominum manibus ipsam suis creare naturam, quse 
proprio quodam motu et necessariae cujusdam 
voluntatis impulsu nihil ahud possit, nihil aliud velit, 
nisi peccare : eo quod furiis omnium vitiorum exa- 
gitata et inflammata, in omnia turpitudinum bara- 
thra inexhausta cupiditate rapiatur. Innumera sunt 
talia, quae brevitatis studio praetermittimus : quibus 
tamen cunctis satis evidenter perspicueque mon- 
stratur, hoc apud omnes fere hcereses quasi solenne 
esse ac legitimum, ut semper prophanis novitatihus 
gaudeant, antiquitatis scita fastidiant, et per opposi- 
5 



64 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

tiones falsi nominis scienti^e a Jide naufragent. 
Contra vero, Catholicorum hoc fere proprium, 
deposita sanctorum Patrum et commissa servare, 
damnare prophanas novitates, et sicut dixit et iterum 
praedixit Apostolus : Si quis annunciaverit, prceter- 
quam quod acceptum est, anatliemare. 

XXV. Hie fartasse aliquis interroget, an et licer- 
etici divine scripturce testimoniis utantur. Utuntur 
plane, et vehementer quidem, nam videas eos volare 
per singula quaeque sanctae legis volumina; per 
Moysi, per Regum libros, per Psalmos, per Aposto- 
los, per Evangelia, per Prophetas. Sive enim 
apud suos, sive alienos, sive privatim, sive publice, 
sive in sermonibus, sive in libris, sive in conviviis, 
sive in plateis ; nihil unquam pcne de suo proferunt, 
qitod non ctiam scripturce verbis adumbrare conentur. 
Lege Pauli Samosateni opuscula, Priscilliani, Eu- 
nomii, Joviniani, reliquarumque pestium ; cernas 
infinitam exemplorum congeriem, prope nullam 
omitti paginam, quae non novi aut veteris testamenti 
sententiis fucata et colorata sit. Sed tanto magis 
cavendi et pertimescendi sunt, quanta occultius sub 
divince legis umbraculis latitant. Sciunt enim foe- 
tores suos nulli fere cito esse placituros, si nudi et 
simplices exhalentur : atque idcirco eos coelestis 
eloquii velut quodam aromate aspergunt, ut ille, qui 
humanum facile despiceret errorem, divina non 
facile contemnat oracula. Itaque faciunt quod hi 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 55 

Solent, qui parv'ulis austera qugedam temperaturi 
pocula, prius ora melle circumlinunt ; lit incauta 
setas cum dulcedinem prsesenserit, amaritudinem 
non reformidet. Quod etiam iis curiE est, qui mala 
gramina et noxios succos, medicamiumu vocabulis 
prae colorant : ut nemo fere ubi suprascriptum legerit 
remedium, suspicetur venenum. 

Inde denique et Salvator clamabat : Attendite 
vobis a Pseudoproplietis, qui veniunt ad vos in vestitu 
oviu7n, ah intus autem sunt lupi rapaces. Quid est 
vestitus ovium ? nisi Proplietarum et Apostolorum 
praeloquia : quae iidem, ovili quadam sinceritate agno 
illi immaculato, qui tollit peccatum mundi, tanquam 
vellera quaedam texuerunt ? Qui sunt lupi rapaces ? 
nisi sensus liaereticorum feri, et rapidi, qui caulas 
Ecclesiae semper infestant, et gregem Christi qua- 
qua possunt, dilacerant ? Sed ut fallacius incautis 
ovibus obrepant, manente luporum ferocia, depo- 
nunt lupinam speciem, et sese divinae legis sententiis 
velut quibusdam velleribus obvolvunt ; ut cum quis- 
que lanarum mollitiem prsesenserit, nequaquam 
aculeos dentium pertimescat. Sed quid ait Sal- 
vator? Exfructibuseorumcognoscetiseos. Id est, 
cum caeperint divinas illas voces non jam proferre 
tantum, sed etiam exponere ; nee adhuc jactare 
solum, sed etiam interpretari ; tunc amaritudo ilia, 
tunc acerbitas, tunc rabies intelligetur, tunc novitium 
vii'us exhalabitur, tunc prophanae novitates aperien- 
tUY, tunc primum scindi sepem videas, tunc trans- 



56 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

ferri patrum terminos, tunc Catholicam fidem caedi, 
tunc ecclesiasticum dogma lacerari. 

Tales erant ii quos percutit Apostolus Paulus in 
secunda ad Corinthios, dicens : Nat7i ejusmodi, inquit, 
Pseudoapostoli, sunt 02yerarii suhdoli, transfigurantes 
se in Apostolos Christi'^. Quid est transfigurantes 
se in Apostolos Christi ? Proferebant Apostoli 
divinae legis exempla, proferebant et illi : Profere- 
bant Apostoli Psalmorum auctoritates, proferebant 
et illi : Proferebant Apostoli sententias Propheta- 
rum, et illi niliilominus, proferebant. Sed cum ea, 
quae similiter protulerant, interpretari non similiter 
ccepissent, tunc simplices a subdolis, tunc infucati a 
fucatis, tunc recti a pei-versis, tunc postremo veri 
Apostoli a falsis Apostolis discernebantur. Et non 
mirum, inquit : ipse enim satlianas transjigurat se 
in angelum lucis : non est ergo nuignuin, si ministri 
ejus transjigurantur sicut ministri justitice. Ergo 
secundum Apostoli Pauli magisterium, quotiescun- 
que vel Pseudoapostoli, vel Pseudoprophetse, vel 
Pseudodoctores, divinae legis sententias proferunt, 
quibus male interpretatis errores suos adstruere 
conentur, non dubium est, quin auctoris sui callida 
machinamenta sectentur; quae ille nunquam pro- 
fecto comminisceretur, nisi sciret omnino nullam 
esse ad fallendum faciliorem viam, quam ut, uhi ne- 
farii erroris subinducitur fraudulentia, ihi divinorum 
verborum irrcetendatur auctoritas. 

«: 2 Cor. xi. 13. 



ADVERSUS HJERESES. O/ 

XXVI. Sed dicet aliqiiis : Unde probatiir quia 
sacree legis exemplis diabolus uti soleat? Legat 
Evangelia, in quibus scribitur ^. Tunc assumpsit 
eum diabolus, id est, Dominum Salvatorem : et 
statuit ilium super pinnam templi, et dixit ei : si 
jilius Dei es, mitte te deorsum, scriptum est enim : 
quod angelis suis mandavit de te, ut custodiant te in 
omnihus viis tuis : in manihus tollent te, ne forte 
offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum. Quid hie faciet 
misellis hominibus, qui ipsum Dominum majestatis 
scriptiu-arum testimoniis appetivit? Si, inquit, 
jilius Dei es, mitte te deorsum. Quare ? Scriptum 
est enim, inquit. Magnopere nobis doctrina loci 
istius atteudenda atque retinenda est ut tanto Evan- 
gelicae auctoritatis exemplo, quando aliquos Apos- 
tolica, seu prophetica verba proferre contra Catho- 
licam fidem viderimus, diabolum per eos loqui mi- 
nime dubitemus. Nam sicut tunc caput capiti, 
ita nunc quoque membra membris loquantur, 
membra scilicet diaboli membris Christi ; perfidi 
fidelibus, sacrilegi religiosis, hseretici postremo 
Catholicis. Sed quid tandem dicit? Si, inquit, 
jilius Dei es, mitte te deorsum. Hoc est, filius esse 
vis Dei, et hsereditatem regni coelestis accipere, 
mitte te deorsum ; id est, ex istius te sublimis Ec- 
clesiae, quae etiam templum Dei putatur, doctrina et 
traditione, demitte. Ac si quis interroget quem- 

^ Matt. iv. 



58 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

piam haereticoinim sibi talia persuadentem : Unde 
prohas, unde doces, quod Ecdesice Catliolicce univer- 
salem et antiquam jidem dimittere debeam? statim 
ille. Scriptum est enim. Et continuo mille testi- 
monia, mille exempla, mille auctoritates parat, de 
Lege, de Psalmis, de Apostolis, de Proplietis, qui- 
bus novo et malo more interpretatis, ex arce Catho- 
lica in hsereseos barathrum infelix anima praeci- 
pitetur. Jam vero illis, quae sequuntur, promis- 
sionibus miro modo incautos homines haeretici 
decipere consueverunt. Audent etenim polhceri, et 
docere, quod in Ecclesia sua, id est, in commmiionis 
suae conventiculo magna et specialis, ac jJlana i^er- 
sonalis queedayii sit Dei gratia, adeo ut sine ullo 
labore, sine ullo studio, sine ulla industria, etiamsi 
nee petant, nee quaerant nee jiulsent, quicunque illi 
ad numerum suum pertinent, tamen ita divinitus 
dispensentur, ut angelicis evecti manibus, id est, 
angelica protectione sei-vati, nunquam possint offen- 
dere ad lapidem pedem suum, id est, nunquam 
scandalizari. 

XXVII. Sed dicet aliquis: Si divinis eloquiis, 
sententiis, promissionibus, et diabolus, et discipuli 
ejus utuntur, quorum alii sunt Pseudoapostoli et 
Pseudopropheta?, et Pseudomagistri, et omnes ex 
toto haeretici ; quid facient Catholici homines et 
matris Ecclesiae filii ? quonam modo in scripturis 
Sanctis veritatem a falsitate discernent ? Hoc scili- 



ADVERSUS HJERESES. 59 

cet facere magnopere ciirabunt, qnod in principio 
Commonitorii istiiis sanctos et doctos viros nobis 
tradidisse scripsimus : lit divinum canonem secundum 
universalis Ecclesice traditiones, et juxta Catholici 
dogmatis regulas interpretentur. In qua item Catli- 
olica et Apostolica Ecclesia sequantur necesse est 
universitatem, antiquitatem, consensionem. Et si 
quando pars contra universitatem, novitas contra ve- 
tustatem, unius vel paucorum errantium dissensio con- 
tra omnium vel certe multoplurium Catholicorum con- 
sensionem rebellaverit, preeferant partis corruptioni 
universitatis intcgritatem : in qua eadem universitate, 
novitatis prophanitati antiqiiitatis religionem : item- 
que in ipsa vetustate, unius sive paucissimorum 
temeritati, primum omnium general ia, siqua sunt, 
universalis Concilii decreta praeponant ; tunc deinde, 
si id minus est, sequantur, quod proximum est, 
multorum atque magnorum consentientes sibi sen- 
tentias Magistrorum : quibus adjuvante Domino 
fideliter, sobrie, sollicite observatis, non magna 
difficultate noxios quosque exsurgentium hceretico- 
rum deprehendemus errores. 

XXVIIL Hie jam consequens esse video, ut ex- 
emplis demonstrem, quonam modo prophanse hsere- 
ticorum novitates, prolatis atque collatis veterum 
magistrorum concordantibus sibimet sententiis, et 
deprehendantur et condemnentur. Quae tamen 
antiqua sanctorum Patrum consensio, non in omnibus 



60 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

divine legis qiitBstiunculis, sed solum vel certe 
pue in jidei regula magno nohis studio et investi- 
ganda est, et sequenda. Sed neque semper, neque 
oranes haereses hoc modo impugnandsB sunt, sed 
novitiae recentesqne tantummodo, cum primum 
scilicet exoriuntur, antequam infalsarint vetustsB 
fidei regulas, ipsius temporis vetentur angustiis, ac 
priusquam manante latius veneno Majorum volumi- 
na vitiare conentur. Cretermii dilatatae et invete- 
ratae haereses nequaquam hac via aggrediendae sunt, 
60 quod proUxo temporum tractu longa iis furandae 
veritatis patuerit occasio. Atque ideo quascunque 
illas antiquiores, vel schismatum, vel haereseon pro- 
phanitates, nullo modo nos oportet, nisi aut sola, si 
opus est, scripturarum auctoritate convincere, aut 
certe jam antiquitus universalibus sacerdotum Cath- 
olicorum Conciliis convictas damnatasque vitare. 
Itaque cum primum mali cujusque erroris putredo 
erumpere coeperit, et ad defensionem sui, quaedam 
sacrae legis verba furari, eaque fallaciter et fraudu- 
lenter exponere, statim interpretando canoni Majo- 
rum sententiae congregandae sunt, quibus illud quod- 
cunque exsurgat novitium, ideoque prophanum, et 
absque uUa ambage prodatur, et sine ulla retracta- 
tione damnetur. Sed eorum duntaxat Patrum sen- 
tentice conferendce sunt, qui in fide et communione 
catholica sancte, sapienter, constanter viventes, do- 
centes, et permanentes, vel mori in Christo fideliter, 
vel occidi pro Christo foeliciter meruerunt. Quibus 



i 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 61 

tamen hac lege credendum est, ut quicquid vel 
omnes, vel plures, uno eodemque sensu manifeste, 
frequenter, perseveranter, velut quodain consen- 
tiente sibi magistrorum concilio, accipiendo, tenen- 
do, tradendo, firmaverint, id pro indubitato, certo, 
ratoque habeatiir. Quicquid vero quamvis ille sanc- 
tus, et doctus, quamvis Episcopus, quamvis Con- 
fessor et Martp*, praeter omnes, aut etiam contra 
omnes senserit, id inter proprias et occultas, et pri- 
vatas opiniunculas, a communis, publicae, ac gene- 
ralis sententia3 auctoritate secretum sit : ne cum 
sununo ceternae salutis periculo, juxta sacrilegam 
hsereticorum, et schismaticorum consuetudinem, 
universalis dogmatis antiqua veritate dimissa, unius 
hominis novitium sectemur errorem. 

Quorum beatorum Patrum sanctum Catholicum- 
que consensum, ne quis sibi temere forte contem- 
nendum arbiti-etur, ait in prima ad Corintliios Apos- 
tolus « : Et quosdam quidem posuit Deus in Ecdesia, 
primum Apostolos, quorum ipse unus erat : secundo 
Prophetas, qualem in actibus Apostolorum legimus 
Agabum : tertio Doctores, qui Tractatores nunc ap- 
pellantur, quos hie idem Apostolus etiam Prophetas 
interdum nuncupat, eo quod per eos Proplietarum 
mysteria populis aperiantur. Hos ergo in Ecclesia 
Dei divinitus per tempora et loca dispensatos, quis- 
quis in sensu CatlioJici dogmatis unum aliquid in 
Chi'isto sentientes contempserit, non liominen contem- 

nCor. xii.27,28. Eph.iv.ll. 



62 VINCENTIl LIRINENSIS 

nit, sed Deum : a quorum veridica unitate ne quis 
discrepet, impensius obtestatur idem Apostolus, 
dicens f; Ohsecro autem vos fr aires, ut idipsum 
dicatis omnes, et non sint in vobis scliismata: sitis 
autem perfecti in eodem sensu, et in eadem sententia : 
Quod si quis ab eorum sententise communione 
desciverit, audiat illud ejusdem Apostoli « : Non est 
Deus dissensionis sed pads : id est, non ejus, qui a 
consentiendi unitate defecerit, sed eorum qui in con- 
sentiendi pace permanserint : sicut in omnibus, 
inquit, Ecdesiis sanctorum doeeo, id est Catholico- 
rum: qusB ideo sanctae sunt, quia in fidei commu- 
nione persistunt. Et ne quis forsitan praetermissis 
caeteris, se solum audiri, sibi soli credi arrogaret, 
paulo post ait : An a vohis, inquit, verbum Dei pro- 
cessit 1 aut in vos solos devenit ^? Et ne hoc quasi 
perfunctorie acciperetur, adjecit : Si quis, inquit, 
videtur Propheta esse aut spiritualis, cognoscat quae 
scribo vobis, quia Domini sunt mandata : quae uti- 
que mandata, nisi, ut si quis est Propheta, aut spir- 
itualis, id est, spiritualium rerum Magister, summo 
studio aequalitatis et unitatis cultor existat : ut scil- 
icet neque opiniones suas caeteris praeferat, et ab 
universorum sensibus non recedat. Cujus rei man- 
data qui ignorat, inquit, ignorabitur, id est, qui aut 
nescita non discit, aut scita contemnit, ignorabitur : 
hoc est, indignus habebitur, qui inter unitos fide, et 
exaequatos humilitate divinitus respiciatur: quo 

' 1 Cor. i. 10. g 1 Cor. xiv. 33. ^ i Cor. xiv. 36. 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 63 

malo nescio an quidquam acerbius cogitari queat. 
Quodtamen juxta Apostolicam comminationem Pel- 
agiano illi provenisse cernimiis Juliano, qui se col- 
legarum sensui aut incorporare neglexit, aut excor- 
porare praesumpsit. Sed jam tempus est, ut polli- 
cituiii proferamus exemplum, ubi et quomodo sanc- 
torum Patrum sententice congi'egatse sint, ut secun- 
dum eas ex decreto atque auctoritate Concilii Eccle- 
siasticae fidei regula figeretur. Quod quo commodi- 
us fiat, hie sit jam liujus commonitorii modus : ut 
ca3tera quae sequuntur ab alio sumamus exordio. 

[Secundum commonitorium interlapsum est, neque 
ex eo amplius quidquam quam postrema particula 
remansiU id est-, sola recapitulatio, qucs et suhjecta 
est.] 

XXIX. Quae cum ita sint, jam tempus est, ut ea 
quae duobus his commonitoriis dicta sunt, in hujus 
secundi fine recapitulemus. Diximus in superiori- 
bus hanc fuisse semper et esse hodieque CathoUco- 
rum consuetudinem, ut jidem veram duobus his 
modis apjyrohent. Primum divini canonis auctori- 
tate, deinde Ecclesice Catholicce traditione : non quia 
canon solus non sibi ad universa sufficiat, sed quia 
verba divina pro suo plerique arbitratu interpretantes 
varias opiniones erroresque concipiant, atque ideo 
necesse sit, ut ad unam Ecclesiastici sensus regulam 
scriptura ccelestis intelligentia dirigatur : in iis dun- 
taxat praecique quaestionibus, quibus totius Catholici 



64 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

dogmatis fundamenta nituntur. Item diximus, in 
ipsa rursus Ecclesia Universitatis pariter et Anti- 
quitatis consensionem spectari oportere, ne aut ab 
unitatis integritate in partem schismatis abrumpa- 
mur, aut e vetustatis religione in haereseon novitates 
praecipitemur. Item dixwms, in ipsa Ecclesiae 
vetustate duo quaedaiii vehementer studioseque ob- 
servanda, quibus penitus inhserere deberent, quicun- 
que haeretici esse uoUent, Primuni si quid esset 
antiquitus ab omnibus Ecclesice Catholicse sacerdo- 
tibus universalis Concilii auctoritate decretum : 
Deinde siqua nova exsurgeret quaestio, ubi id mini- 
me reperiretur, recurrendum ad sanctorum patrum 
sententias, eorum duntaxat, qui suis quique tempo- 
ribus et locis, in unitate communionis et fidei per- 
manentes, Magistri probabiles exstitissent ; et quid- 
quid uno sensu atque consensu tenuisse inveniren- 
tur, id Ecclesiaj verum et Catholicum absque ullo 
scrupulo judicaretur. 

Quod ne praesumptione magis nostra, quam aucto- 
ritate Ecclesiastica promere videremur, exemplum 
adhibuimus sancti Concilii, quod ante triennium 
ferme in Asia apud Ephesum celebratum est viris 
clarissimis Basso Antiochoque Consulihus. Ubi cum 
de sanciendis fidei regulis disceptaretur, ne qua illic 
forsitan prophana novitas in modum perfidiae Ari- 
minensis obreperet, universis Sacerdotibus, qui illo 
ducenti fere numero convenerant, hoc Catholicissi- 
mum, fidelissimum atque optimum factu visum est, 



ADVERSUS H^RESES. 65 

ut VI medium sanctorum Patrum sententia prof err en- 
tur, quorum alios Martyres, alios Confessores, 
onines vero Catliolicos sacerdotes fuisse, et per- 
mansisse constaret: nt scilicet rite atque solenniter ex 
eorum consensu atque decreto aniiqui dogmatis religio 
co7ifirmaretur, et prophance novitatis blasphemia con- 
demnaretur. Quod cum ita factum foret, jure meri- 
toque impius ille Nestorius, Catliolicse vetustati 
contrarius, beatus vero Cyrillus sacrosanctae anti- 
quitati consentaneus judicatus est. Et ut ad fidem 
rerum nihil deesset, etiam nomina et numerum 
(licet ordinem fuissemus obliti) edidimus eorum 
patrum, juxta quorum ibidem concinentem sibi con- 
cordemque sententiam, et legis sacrae proloquia 
exposita sunt, et divini dogmatis regula constabilita 
est. Quos ad confirmandam memoriam hie quoque 
recensere nequaquam superfluum est. 

XXX. Sunt ergo hi viri quorum in illo Concilio, 
vel tanquam judicum, vel tanquam testium scripta 
recitata sunt: S. Petrus Alexandrinus Episcopus, 
Doctor prajstantissimus, et Martyr beatissimus : S. 
Athanasius ejusdem civitatis antistes, Magister fidel- 
issimus, et Confessor eminentissimus : S. TJieo]}hilus 
ejusdem item urbis Episcopus, vir fide, vita, scientia 
satis clarus : cui successit venerandus Cyrillus^ qui 
nunc Alexandrinam illustrat Ecclesiam: Et ne 
forsitan unius civitatis ac provincise doctrina hsec 
putaretur, adhibita sunt etiam ilia Cappadocice lum- 



66 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

ina, sanctus Gregorius Episcopus et confessor de 
Nazianzo: S. Basilius Caesarese Cappadocittt Episco- 
pus et confessor : Sanctus item alter Gregorius 
Nyssenus Episcopus, fidei, conversationis, integrita- 
tis et sapientiEB merito fratre Basilio dignissimus. 
Sed ne sola GrEeciaaut Oriens tantum, verum etiam 
Occidentalis et Latinus orbis ita semper sensisse 
approbaretur, lectce sunt quoque ibi quaedam ad 
quosdam Epistola? sancti Felicis Martyris et 5. Julii 
urbis Romce Episcoporum. Et ut non solum caput 
orbis, verum etiam latera illi judicio testimonium 
perhiberent, adhibitus est a meridie beatissimus 
Cyprianus, Episcopus Carthaginensis, et martyr : 
a Septentrione S. Amhrosius, Mediolanensis Episco- 
pus. Hi sunt igitur omnes apud Ephesum sacrato 
Decalogi numero Magisti'i, Consiliarii, Testes, Judi- 
cesque producti : quorum beata ilia synodus doctri- 
nam tenens, consilium sequens, credens testimonio, 
obediens judicio, absque tfedio praesumptione et 
gratia, de fidei regulis pronunciavit. Quanquam 
multo amplior majorum numerus adhiberi potuerit, 
sed necesse non fuit : quia neque multitudine testi- 
um negotii tempora occupari oportebat, et decern 
illos non aliud fere sensisse, quam cseteros omnes 
collegas suos nemo dubitabat. 

XXXI. Post quae omnia, adjecimus etiam beati 
Cyrilli sententiam, quae gestis ipsis Ecclesiasticis 
continetur. Namque cum lecta esset sancti Ca- 



i 



ADVERSUS HiERESES. 67 

preoli Episcopi Cartliaginensis Epistola, qui nihil 
aliud iutendebat et precabatur, nisi ut expugnata 
novitate antiqnitas defenderetur, ita Episcopus Cy- 
rillus prolocutus est et defiuivit : quod hie quoque 
interponere non abs re videtur : ait enim in fine ges- 
torum : Et hac, inquit, gu^e lecta est Epistola vejie- 
randi et multum religiosi Episcopi Cartliaginensis 
Capreoli, jidei gestorum inseretur., cujus aperta sen- 
tentia est : vult enim antiqua jidei dogmata conjir- 
mari, novitia vero et superfiue adinventa et inipie 
promulgata rcjnohari atque damnari. Omnes Epis- 
copi adclamaveruut : Hce omnium voces sunt, lieec 
omnes dicimus, hoc omnium votem est. Quae tandem 
omnium voces atque omnium vota, nisi ut quod erat 
RDtiquitus traditum teneretur, quod adinventum 
nuper exploderetur ? Postquam admirati sumus et 
praidicavimus, quanta ConciUi illius fuerit humihtas 
et sanctitas, ut tot numero sax;erdotes, pene ex majori 
parte Metropohtani, tantse eruditionis, tanteeque 
doGtrinse, ut prope omnes possent de dogmatibus 
disputare, quibus propterea ipsa in unum congre- 
gatio audendi a se ahquid et statuendi addere vide- 
retur fiduciam, nihil tamen novarent, nihil prse- 
sumerent, nihil sibi penitus arrogarent : sed om- 
nimodis preecaverent, ne aliquid posteris traderent, 
quod ipsi a Patrihus non accepissent : et non solum 
in praesenti rem bene disponerent, verum etiam post 
futuris exempla praeberent, ut et ipsi scilicet sacrata& 
vetustatis dogmata colerent, prophanae vero novitatis 



68 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

adinventa damnarent. Invecti etiam sumus in Nes- 
torii sceleratam prcesumptionem, quod sacram scrip- 
turam se primum et solum intelligere, et omnes eos 
ignorasse jactaret, quicunque ante se Magisterii mu- 
nere preediti^ divina eloquia tractavissent : universes 
scilicet Sacerdotes, universes Confessores et Marty- 
res, quorum alii explanassent Dei legem : alii vero 
explanantibus consensissent vel credidissent : totam 
jjostremo etiam nunc errare et semper errasse adseve- 
rare Ecclesiam^ quce, ut ipsi videhatur ignaros, erron- 
eosque doctores et secuta esset et sequertur. 

XXXII. Qua; omnia licet cumulate abundeque 
sufficerent ad prophanas quasque novitates obruen- 
das et extinguendas, tamen ne quid deesse tantae 
pjenitudini videretur, ad postremum adjiciemus gem- 
inam Apostolicae Sedis auctoritatem : unam scilicet 
sancti Papa; Sixti, qui nunc Romanam Ecclesiam 
venerandus illustrat: alteram decessoris sui beatae 
memoriae Papa Celestini, quam hie quoque inter- 
ponere necessarium judicavimus. Ait itaque sanc- 
tus Papa Sixtus in epistola, quam de causa Nestorii 
Antiocheno misit Episcopo : Ergo, inquit quia sicut 
ait Apostolus, fides una est, quce evidenter obtinuit, 
dicenda crcdamus, et tenenda credamus. Quae sunt 
tandem ilia credenda et dicenda? Sequitur et ait: 
Nihil ultra, inquit, liceat novitaii, quia nihil addi 
convenit vetustati : Perspicua majorum fides et cre- 
dulitas nulla cceni permixtione turhetur. Omnino 



ADVERSUS HiERESES. 69 

Apostolice : ut majorum credulitatem perspicuitatis 
lumine ornaret, novitias vero prophanitates cceni per- 
mixtione describeret. Sed etsanctus Papa delesti- 
nus pari rnodo eademqiie seutentia : ait enim in 
epistola, quam Gallorum sacerdotibus misit, arguens 
eorem conniventiam, quod antiquam fidem silentio 
destituentes, proplianas novitates exsurgere pate- 
rentur. Merito, inquit, causa nos respicit, si silentio 
foveamus errorem. Ergo corripiantur hujusmodi; 
non sit lis Uherum habere pro voluntate sermonem. 
Hie aliquis fortasse addubitet, quinam sint illi, quos 
habere proliibeat liberum pro voluntate seriuonem, 
vetustatis praidicatores, an novitatis adinventores. 
Ipse dicat, et dubitationem legentium ipse dissolvat. 
Sequitur enim : Desinat, inquit, si ita res est, id est, 
si ita est, ut apud me quidam urbes etprovincias ves- 
tras criminantur, quod eas quibusdam novitatibus 
consentire noxia dissimulatione faciatis : desinat ita- 
que, inquit, si ita res est, incessere novitas vetustatem. 
Ergo hsec fuit beati Caelestini beata sententia, non 
ut vetustas cessaret obruere novitatem : sed potius 
novitas desineret incessere vetustatem. 

XXXIII. Quibus Apostolicis Catholicisque de- 
cretis quisquis refragatur, insultet primum omnium 
necesse est memoriae sancti Ccelestini, qui statuit 
ut desineret incessere novitas vetustatem : deinde irri- 
deat definita sancti Sixti, qui censuit, ne ultra quid- 
quam liceat novitati, quia nihil addi convenit vetustati : 
6* 



70 VINCENTII LIRINENSIS 

seel et beati Cyrilli statuta contemnat, qui venerandi 
Capreoli zelnm magna prredicatione landavit, quod 
antiquae fidei dogmata confirmari ciiperet, novitia 
vero adinventa damnari : Ephesinani quoque Syno- 
dum, id est, totius pene Orientis sanctorum Episco- 
pornm judicata proculcet: quibus divinitus placuit 
nihil aliud posteris credendum decernere, nisi quod 
sacrata sibique in Christo consentiens sanctorum 
Patrum tenuisset antiquitas, quique etiam vocife- 
rantes et acclamantes, uoo ore testificati sunt, has 
esse omnium voces, hoc omnes optare, hoc omnes 
censere, ut sicut universi fere ante Nestorium 
hfcretici, contemnentes vetustatem et asserentes 
novitatem, damnati forent, ita ipse quoque Nestorius 
auctor novitatis et impugnator vetustatis condem- 
naretur. Quorum sacrosancta et coelestis gratiae 
munere inspir.ata consensio si cui displicet, quid 
aliud sequitur, nisi ut prophanitatem Nestorii adse- 
rat non jure damnatam? Ad extremum quoque 
universam Christi Ecclesiam et Magistros ejus 
Apostolos et Prophetas, prascipueque tamen beatum 
Apostolum Paulum velut qua}dam purgamenta con- 
temnat : illam quod a religione colendse et excolendsB 
semel sibi traditse fidei nunquam recesserit: ilium 
vero, qui scripserit : O Timothee, depositum custodi, 
devitans prophanas vocum novitates. Et item : Si 
quis vohis annunciaverit prceterquam quod accepistis, 
anathema sit. Quod si neque apostolica definita, 
neque ecclesiastica decreta temeranda sunt, quibus 



ADVERSUS H-ERESES. 71 

secundum sficrosanctam universitatis et antiquitatis 
consensionem cuncti semper hceretici, et ad extre- 
mum Pelagius, dslestius, Nestorius, jure meritoque 
damnati sunt, necesse est profecto omnibus deinceps 
Catholicis, qui sese Ecclesise mati'is legitimos filios 
probare student, ut sancta sanctorum pati'um fidei 
inhaereant, adglutinentur, immoriantur, proplianas 
vero prophanorum novitates detestentur, horrescant, 
insectentur, persequautur. Hsec sunt fere quae 
duohus Commonitoriis latius disserta, aliquanto nunc 
brevius recapitulandi lege constricta sunt : ut me- 
moria mea, cui adminiculandae istae confecimus, et 
commonendi assiduitate reparetur, et prolixitatis 
fastidio non obruatur. 

Explicit tractattis Peregrini contra h^ereticos. 



ARGUMENTUM 

Commonitorii Vincentii adversus Haereses. 

Cap. I. Praefatio libri. 

II. Fidei muniendae subsidia, Divinre Legis auctoii- 
tas, Ecclesiae Catholicte traditio. 
III. CatholiccC Fidei retinendse regula. 
IV. Donatistarum atque Arrianorum exemplis de- 
monstratur novelli dogmatis inductione quan- 
tum invchatur calamitatis. 
V. Ambrosii testimonium. — Fidem confessorum et 
martyrum non denegandam. 
VI. Religiositatis pai-s, prompte novellis adinventio- 
nibus contraire, prout rebaptizandi mopem 
Stephanus Papa restitit. 
VII. Haereticorum mos, vctcris cujuspiam vin scripta 

pro sc citandi. 
VIII« Pauli ad Galatas contra novatores adraonitio, 
IX. ad omncs, et per omnia tempora, applicabilis. 
X. Cur Divinitus sinuntur viri magni res novas in 
Ecclesia moliri. Locus Deuteronomii explica- 
tur; 
XI. Ecclesiasticis exemplis demonstratur. 
XII. Nestorii, ApoUinaris, et Photini haereses expo- 
nuntur. 

XIII. Contra haereticos de Deo et Salvatore nostro 

Catholica? Ecclesia? sententia. 

XIV. Personam hominis quomodo Deus Verbum sus- 

cepisse credendum est. 
XV. Persona Christi quomodo et usque quando una. 
XVI. Recapitulatio pra?dictoi-um, a capite XII. 
XVII. Tentatio populi Origenis exemplo illustratur; 
XVIII. Et Tertulliani. 
XIX. Ecclesiastici magistri a Fide aberratio, nostra 
tentatio. 
XX. Quis sit ille verus Caiholicus. 
XXI. Tradita semel et accepta antiquitus credendi 
regula, sicut Dei deposihim custodienda. 



J 



73 

XXII. Apostoli Pauli de deposito custodiendo locus 
explicatur. 

XXIII. Quomodo in Ecclesia, qiise depositum custodit, 

pi"ofectu3 habeatur religionis. 

XXIV. Prophanse novitates devitandae. 

XXV. Quo pacto h^eretici Divinse Scripturae testimo- 
niis utantur. 
XXVI. Quod sacrse Legis exemplis diabolus uti solet. 
XXVII. Divinum Canon secundum universalis Ecclesise 
traditiones et juxta Catholici dogmatis regulas 
interpretandum. 
XXVIII. Quonam modo haereses, prolatis veterum magis- 
trorum sententiis concordantibus, deprehen- 
dantur et condemnentur. 
XXIX. Recapitulatio dictorum, tarn prsecedenti libro, 
quam secundo Commonitorio. 
XXX. Viri quorum in Concilio Ephesino scripta re- 
citata sunt. 
XXXI. Cyrilli sentenria. Nestorii praesumptio. 
XXXII. Paparum, Sixti et Coelestini, testimonia. 
XXXIII. Apostolicis Catholicisque decretis refragandi 
periculum. 



huji 

Hujus ed. 
Praefatio. 
Cap. II. 
III. 
IV. ' 
V. ' 
VI. ' 
VII. ' 
VIII. ' 
IX. ' 
X. ' 
XL ' 
XII. ' 

XIII. ' 

XIV. ' 
XV. ' 

XVI. ' 
XVII. ' 
XVIII. ' 
XIX. ' 
XX. ' 
XXI. ' 
XXII. ' 

XXIII. ' 

XXIV. ' 
XXV. ' 

XXVI. ' 

XXVII. ' 

XXVIII. < 

XXIX. ' 

XXX. ' 

XXXI. ' 

XXXII. ' 

XXXIII. ' 

Alior. ed. 

Praefatio. 

Cap I. 

II. 

III. 

IV. ' 



C A P I T U M 

3 editionis cum aliorum quonandam 
COLLATIO. 



' Dicente scriptura,' , 
' Saepe igitur,' 
' Quid igitur,' 
Sed ut planiora,' . 
Sed forsitan,' 
Magnum hoc ' 
Quod quidem milii,' . 
Cum ergo talcs,' . 
Sed forsitan Galatis/ 
' Sed dicet aliquis,' 
Hie forsitan,' . 
Hie a me forsitan,' 
IJppc ergo Nestorius,' 
Sed cum personam,' 
HfEC igitur,' 
Sed jam ea,' 
Dicebamus ergo,' 
Sed ct Tcrtulliani,' 
His igitur,' 
Quse cum ita sint,' 
QucB cum ita sint,' 
Sed opene pretium,' 
Sed forsitan dicit,' 
Sed ad Apostolum,' 
Hie fortasse,' 
Sed dicet aliquis,' 
• Sed dicet aliquis,' 
' Hie jam consequens/ 
' Quae cum ita sint,' . 
Sunt ergo hi viri,' 
Post qute omnia,' 
Qufe omnia licet,' 
Quibus Apostolicis,' . 

EXPLICIT. 



Dicente Scriptura,' 
• Ssepe igitur,' 
' Hie forsitan,' 
' In ipsa item,' 
Quid igitur,' . 



V. ' Tempore Donati,' 
VI. ' Item quando,' 
VII. ' Sed forsitan,' . 
VIII. ' Sed in hac divina,' 
IX. ' Neque hoc sane,' 
X. ' Sed forte tunc,' 
XI. ' Et o rerum,' 
XII. * Magno i^tur,' 

XIII. * Sed haec forsitan,' 

XIV. ' Et sicuti nemini,' [CoZ.] 
[' Aut forsitan tunc,' Rovi.'\ 

XV. ' Sed dicet aliquis,' . 
XVI. ' Hie forsitan,' 
XVII. ' Utile igitur^' . 
XVIII. ' Hgec ergo Nestorius,' 
' Sed operse pretium,' 
' Sed cum personam,' . 
' Vehementer euim,' 
* Sed jam ea,' 
' Dicebamus ergo,' . 
' Sed et Terttllliani,' 

5 cum ita sint,' . 
' Qufe cum ita sint,' 
XXVII. ' Sed operae pretium,' 
XXVIII. ' Sed forsitan dicit,' 
XXIX. ' Imitetur animarum,' 
' Exempli gratia,' 
' Nam si semel,' 
' Christi vero Ecclesia,' 
' Sed ad Apostolum,' 
XXXIV. ' Prophanas, inquit,' 

XXXV. ' Hie fortasse,' 
XXXVL ' Inde denique,' 
XXXVII. ' Tales erant ii,' 
XXXVIII ' Sed dicet aliquis,' 
XXXIX. ' Hie jam consequens,' 
XL. ' Quorum beatorum,' 
XLI. ' Quae cum ita sint,' \_CoL'\ 

[SECUNDU3I COMMONITOR. Rom..'\ 

XLII. ' Quod ne prsesumptione,' . . . .64 
XLIII. ' Quae omnia licet,' .... 68 

Explicit, 
Not A. — CoUatio facta est cum editione Romana, Anno 
1765, typis Barbiellinianis, formEe in 8vo, excusa. Item, 
cum editione minoris formae, Coloniae, Anno 1613, vulgata. 



XIX. 
XX. 
XXI. 

XXII. 
XXIII. 
XXIV. ' 

XXV. 
XXVI. ' 



XXX. 

XXXI. 

XXXII. 

XXXIII. 



DE VINCENTIO LIRINENSI 
TESTIMONIA. 
S. EucHERii Episcopi Lugdunensis. (Ao. 434 claruit.) 
In Libro Instructionum ad Salonium et Veranum. 
Quum teillic (in Lirinensicoenohio) beatissimi Hilarii, tunc 
insulani tyronis, sed jam nunc summi pontificis, doctrina for- 
maret per omnes spiritualium rerum disciplinas ; ad hoc etiam 
te consummantibus postea Sanctis viris Salviano atque Vin- 
ceniio, eloquio pariter scientiaque prseeminentibus. 

Gen NADU Massiliensis. (Ao. 495 clarnit.) 

In Catalogo Virorum Illustrium. Cap. 64. 

Vincentius, nationc Gallus, apud Monasterium Lirinensis in- 
sula) presbyter, vir in Scripturis Sanctis doctus, et notitia ec- 
clesiasticonim dogmatum sufficicntcr instructus, composuit ad 
ovitanda hiereticorum collegia nitido satis et aperto sermone 
validissimam disputationcm, quam absconso nomine suo atti- 
tulavit Pcregrini advers7is hcereticos. Cujus operis quia 
secundi libri maximam in Schedulis partem a quibusdam 
furatam perdidit, recapitulate ejus paucis sermonibus sensu 
pristino compegit, et uno in libro edidit. Moritur Theodosio 
et Valcntiniano regnantibus. 



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